Welcome To The NFL
TAMPA, Fla. — Shannon Currie knew her love of dance wasn't going to end when her days at the University of Louisville were over.
She wanted to find a way to continue to realize her passion and earned a very exclusive job.
After several rounds of interviews and tryouts, Currie was chosen as one of nine rookies — out of hundreds of applicants — to join the cheerleaders of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Her first game on the sidelines comes Saturday night, when the Bucs host the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I'm excited to experience my first NFL gameday,” Currie said. “It must be something else.”
Currie, a 2017 graduate of Knoch High School, was on the cheerleading squad there for two years, but she picked up dance at a very young age.
“I was 3 when I started,” she said. “It's been part of me ever since. When it came time to pick a college, I chose Louisville because they have one of the best dance teams in the country. They've won 20 national titles and I was fortunate enough to be part of three of them.
“Many cheerleaders in the NFL have backgrounds in dance. I have a friend who cheers for the Chiefs and another who cheers for the Ravens.”
Last year, Currie began researching the cheerleading squads of NFL teams.
“You have to do it on your own, but you can find out a lot on YouTube and Instagram,” she said. “Every team of NFL cheerleaders has its own style and morals, how they carry themselves on the field. You have to find the right fit.”
Currie saw the Buccaneers as the franchise she wanted to be part of, but that was just the first step.
After submitting an application, she was chosen for a preliminary tryout, which was done virtually due to COVID.
She was one of between 50 and 60 invited for an in-person final tryout.
“There were interviews with people in the Bucs' organization,” Currie said. “They wanted to learn about us and why we wanted to cheer for Tampa Bay. We also had to perform in front of a panel of judges.”
She found out June 12 that she had made the team.
“I love the team atmosphere of dance and now being part of it for Tampa Bay ... they're all talented dancers and nice people.
“And Tampa isn't a bad place to live,” she said, laughing.
Currie still has to take several classes to earn a communications degree from Louisville. She plans to complete her studies online.
The Buccaneers cheerleaders number 27, including 22 women and five men. Due to COVID-related restrictions, the team will not perform at Tampa Bay's road games this season.
That still leaves at least 10 games for Currie to savor this rare opportunity.
“I've formed a lot of friendships,” she said. “The people here are kind and accepting. Everybody in the organization is so welcoming.”
