There’s this thing about being first at something. You’re considered the cream of the crop. The veterans. You set the bar. Everyone imitates you. When it comes to NFL cheerleaders, the First Ladies of Football, also known as the Washington Redskins cheerleaders are those beautiful bar-setters, and have been for 51 years, the longest extant cheerleading team in the NFL.
Charo is just one of the beautiful women who has been lucky enough to don perhaps the most coveted uniform in all of cheerleading in over half a century. A tax accountant by trade, Charo, now in her third season, definitely worked her way onto the sidelines little by little. When she first tried out, while still at the University of Maryland (and on the dance team no less), she didn’t even make in past the second round. A few years later, she tried out again and this time made the team as an “alternate.”
“Being an alternate was definitely a humbling experience, but I’ve always believed that every woman has a different experience and journey on this team, and I guess it worked out well because I just completed this season as one of the co-captains!” she exclaims.
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Money can’t buy happiness, but if it could, Charo could calculate the taxes owed on the cheer she brings us all.
It’s no secret the Washington Redskins finished off the 2013 season with a bit of an eyesore of a record at 3-13 (last in their division) and quite a bit of drama, and Charo admits it does make their job more difficult on the sidelines, and at times her “maniacal side” does come shining through. “When the Redskins are down, or aren’t playing as well as we know they can, it definitely becomes tougher to keep the smiles going. I think this is mostly because no one wants to be the person who, right after the opposing team scores, has to face the fans and continue to smile and cheer like that didn’t obviously just suck. Personally, I get very involved with what’s happening on the field, but thankfully, when plays are going on, we are facing the field and the fans don’t see this slightly maniacal side of me. But like any job, it’s our duty to keep that air of professionalism and continue to cheer on our Skins, regardless of the outcome. Rain or shine (or hail or snow), win or lose, we always support our team,” she says optimistically.
“Although I was born on a U.S. Air Force base in Okinawa, Japan, I was raised in the much less exotic town of Columbia, Maryland,” the 5’5″ brunette says of her hometown.
When it comes to her favorite current player, Charo has a bit of a different take than most of the other women we’ve talked to. “People always choose the offensive players when asked who their favorite players are. It’s true, I love watching younger playmakers like Alfred Morris and Pierre Garçon pick up those extra yards or complete the pass and convert the third down. But my favorite player to watch right now is, and always has been, London Fletcher. It’s cool to watch defensive players continue to show resilience in times of adversity (when they held the Chargers THRICE at first-and-1 to force overtime!), and Fletcher has been a steadfast force both on and off the field. It was a sad day to see him announce his retirement this year,” she says.
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Someone make a three-wolf moon t-shirt spoof of this please?
Having grown up just a few hours from RFK Stadium (the old Redskins home), I’m beyond familiar with their gameday atmosphere and crazed fans. But in Charo’s words, it looks a little something like this: “FedEx Field (or Redskins Stadium) is the largest stadium in the NFL in terms of regular capacity — 85,000 seats [Editor’s note: Jerry’s World can hold up to 100,000 by use of temporary seating]. Our gargantuan stadium lends itself to accommodating some of the most loyal fans in the nation. Our franchise is 81 years old, has won five NFL Championships (including three Super Bowls), and is one of the maybe two NFL teams to have an official marching band. Also, our fight song, Hail to the Redskins, is one of the oldest fight songs in the NFL. The Redskins organization is rich with tradition and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of the 2010, 2012, and 2013 Washington Redskins cheerleaders teams,” she boasts with a smile.
And it seems you can’t really talk about the history of the Washington Redskins without also bringing up the ill-named “America’s Team.”
“Although our fans loyally and almost equally detest any team in the NFC East, our biggest rival is easily the Dallas Cowboys,” she says. “I presume this predates us as Americans to the classic ‘Cowboys vs. Indians’ dilemma. Last year, when we were the NFC East Champs, we played the Cowboys in the final game of the regular season and it determined eligibility to go to playoffs. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the stadium that loud and alive. Every season ticket holder is at FedEx Field for the Dallas game in addition to the rest of the stadium being completely sold out. The roar is deafening, especially when Dallas is on offense; the energy is electric and brings you up, makes you want to dance harder and stronger, smile bigger because you’re thinking, ‘Wow, this is what football and fandom is really all about.’ “
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This is where we want to go when we die.
…although, admittedly, nobody wants a corpse propped up in their locker room.
We take a few moments to bond over our sovereign loathing of the Cowboys and how they really aren’t America’s Team. Not even close actually. I ask her what she was doing right before she sat down to do this interview. “Well actually, I had just rolled out of bed and was drinking my coffee. I was wearing a white tank top and…well yes, just a white tank top.”
While we talk, laugh up a storm, crack jokes and challenge each other’s sarcasm levels, Charo makes a shocking and almost unbelievable admission. “Something that people may be surprised to know is that I am a complete nerd and I used to be irrationally shy. I literally didn’t know how to speak to anyone…especially the opposite sex. My childhood and adolescence consisted of dancing six days a week for six hours a day, so my social life was limited. Now, I am very high-energy and sometimes way too forward and sarcastic to the point that people don’t know I’m joking. And I’m a total nerd in that I love math, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and reading. I could happily read a book a day. Crossword puzzles are my jam,” she jokes with a sincere undercurrent.
Charo’s collegiate experience at University of Maryland wasn’t all parts nerd. She managed to mix in some fun times and “memorable moments” she didn’t quite spill the beans on. “I was an accounting major in the Robert H. Smith School of Business at UMD — as reputable as the school is, and even though I had quite a few memorable and impressive professors, no one in her right mind ever cites the first-class education as her favorite thing about college. One of my favorite things about the University of Maryland was the ‘true college experience.’ I was able to get involved at the campus gym, in my sorority, and with the dance team insofar that I broadened my horizons through different people and experiences. Many of my favorite memories at UMD took place at the intersection of Route 1 and Knox Avenue…even though it was a wild four-year ride, I managed to maintain a 3.6 GPA and I have absolutely no regrets.”
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And now, for the artistic shot.
Like pretty much every NFL cheerleader, Charo does have a bout of nerves hit her just before gametime each and every week. “I’ve been dancing my whole life, so the stage – regardless of the scale and scope of it – has been my friend and favorite place for as long as I can remember. I always get butterflies about one minute before I’m about to walk out – which I attempt to quell by getting on all fours and doing planks. I’ve heard this centers you but it could be complete bologna, but the second I’m out there dancing all I feel is confidence and ease,” she says. (My apologies, I could not capture a photo of Charo on all fours showing me her game time ritual for you to see in all its glory.)
And while she used to have trouble talking to the opposite sex, some things have changed. She says her perfect date spot is anywhere, absolutely anywhere outdoors. “Seriously, give me good weather and the great outdoors and I’ll probably fall in love with you…nine out of ten times.”
Next: How to wow Charo on a date
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