May 12, 2024 • 55 mins
Imagine the pride and awe of standing on the same storied field where your mother once dazzled crowds, now wearing the iconic boots and star-spangled uniform yourself. This Mother’s Day, join me, Tammy, as we unwrap the touching narrative of Shannon Hall Salter and her daughter Madeline Salter, currently a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. Together, we celebrate their bond and the extraordinary legacy of cheering for one of the most prestigious teams in the NFL.
Our conversation with Shannon and Madeline is nothing short of a journey through the heart of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' experience. From the emotional moments that solidified Maddie's dream to the rigorous demands of each season, we shed light on the dedication behind the glamor. Shannon's reflections on her daughter's growth and the evolving responsibilities of being a veteran cheerleader add an intimate layer to the story that is sure to resonate with listeners.
Beyond the sparkle of pom poms and high kicks, there's a profound sisterhood and a connection that spans generations within the DCC. We explore this deeply woven community, the powerful memories that tie a mother and daughter to the field, and the legacy they continue to build. Concluding with the excitement of our Sideline Legends NFL Alumni website launch, this episode is an ode to the passion and tradition that make the cheerleading world so captivating. Join our community and be part of the celebration as we share untold stories from the sidelines.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tami Barber (00:09):
Hi and welcome to another episode of Sideline
Legends, in their own words.
I'm Tami, your host, and youare in for a great time.
This is May and it meansMother's Day.
I've been blessed to interviewtwo NFL mother-daughter
(00:30):
cheerleaders.
First up is Shannon Hall Salterand Madeline Salter.
But wait, Madeline is a currentDallas Cowboys cheerleader.
With special permission fromthe Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Organization, I was able to getMaddie on the show.
(00:50):
I know right, Shannon andMaddie share their road to the
NFL, how Shannon's teammateswere able to watch Madeline grow
up and why Maddie wanted to bea DCC.
Watching this mother anddaughter side by side was
priceless, and I know you'regoing to love them.
(01:15):
Hi everybody, welcome to anotherepisode of Sideline Legends and
it being May, it is MotherDaughter month on our show today
and I am so excited because wehave a one of a kind here today.
We have a current DCC.
All of our other interviews aregoing to be with alumni, which
(01:38):
I love too, but Maddie is myfavorite.
Am I allowed to say that?
I love all the DCCs, butMaddie.
When we met a couple of yearsago, it was just like she was my
little mini me, although she'slike five feet taller than I am.
(01:58):
I'm always saying I want to putMaddie in my pocket and bring
her home.
We just clicked.
You know how you just havepeople
And then I got to meet mom.
Shannon is her mom and Shannoncheered under the name of
Shannon Hall in her rookie year.
(02:20):
That was 1987.
And then she cheered alsothrough 88 and 89.
And Maddie's rookie year was2021.
And she is currently gettingready to try out again for the
24-25 season, which isnerve-wracking, but we're not
going to go there.
Let's not talk about auditions.
(02:42):
Everybody will get gurglytummies Now my question with
all mother daughters is maddie,did you always want to be a
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader?
Tami, thank you for having me.
I'm so excited to do this,especially with you and mom.
(03:02):
No, I didn't decide to becomea Dallas Cowboys cheerleader
because of mom.
But growing up I starteddancing at the age of six.
Mom realized at that age that,oh, my daughter wants to
entertain.
I did a lovely tap piece to awhole lot of shaking going on.
(03:26):
It had fringe, it had feathers, it had a big pink bow on my
back and she saw that I was alsosinging along to it.
So little me trying to danceand also sing a song.
She, she goes.
Oh, this is what she's going tocontinue for the rest of her
life, and so it wasn't till thesummer of 2018.
(03:50):
I went to go see Meet The Teamfor the first time.
M om was invited and I was herplus one and I didn't know what
to expect.
I mean, I've seen, seen CMTbefore, but nothing could
compare to what I experiencedthat day.
We arrived to meet the team and, all of a sudden, the pregame
(04:14):
began and as the cheerleadersstarted taking the field, I
started to tear up.
You did, and I was.
I was thinking what?
(04:34):
Oh, my goodness, that's my dream, that my dream is in front of
me, and this emotional reactionis real, is very real.
And I remember looking to mymom when, uh, when it was over
and I went.
I want to try it out.
Shannon Salter (04:54):
I had the biggest,
Tami Barber (04:59):
first of all, so you didn't really grow up having
mom say anything about you.
Oh, I want you to be a DallasCowboys Cheerleader.
I was one.
It was a wonderful experience.
Shannon Salter (05:11):
I wo it for you, none of that um well, tammy, I
was more strategic than that.
I was like, hey, she likes.
Well, thank you for having uson the podcast.
(05:35):
Much so I.
When I saw that she liked theidea of Sorry alarm I enjoyed
the aspect of entertaining andshe kind of took pretty well to
it.
I was like, ok, we'll see.
I introduced her to differentaspects of the cowboy
cheerleader.
You know everybody assumed, oh,you put her in junior DCC and
(05:58):
you put her out on the field.
Oh right, that's the fun stuff,that's the easy stuff Right.
That's the fun stuff, that's theeasy stuff I let her go to when
our beloved Suzanne Mitchell,her memorial in Dallas.
Maddie went to that.
I wanted her women behind thescenes, women I had talked about
(06:19):
, but this would have been oneof the best ways for her to meet
Shannon Wrthman, judy Trammell,some of the women that I
cheered with, and not in aperformance matter, you know it,
I mean Susie.
It was a day of remembrance butshe got a history lesson that
was going to be once in alifetime I let her come to.
We had an alumni sale at theold studio in Valley Ranch.
(06:42):
She got to see the studio inthat capacity because she saw
alumni sale.
We jus I let her be exposed toaspects of DCC to kind of give
her little samples of you knowyou could become part of this
world.
Not yet, obviously, you're.
You know 12, 13.
(07:03):
World, not yet, obviously,you're, you know 12, 13.
Here's a little sample and lether kind of digest it and say
you know, is this going to befor me?
And I knew this is before CMTreally came around.
I was like this is a world thatyou want to be a part of.
I know you're going to be apart of, but it comes with a lot
of dedication, a lot of blood,sweat and tears, and do you
(07:27):
really want to put your kid intothat?
Are they going to be able tohandle it?
And I didn't want to put thatpressure on her, but I want to
apply enough, just so she couldlook back and go.
This was so well worth it.
It was so worth it.
I like that.
So well worth it.
It was so worth it.
Oh, I like that.
I got to let her make her owndecision, but I had set some
(07:51):
things in motion so she could go.
Oh yeah, mom, I met her backwhen I know you did.
There were reasons for it.
Tami Barber (07:59):
Well, all the alumni were kind of your aunts.
Shannon Salter (08:03):
They are, oh, aunts they are Auntie, paula
yeah, and Kim Kim and Sharpieyeah.
Tami Barber (08:14):
And we've talked about this before on other
episodes about the sisterhoodthat it's family.
These aren't people that blewinto our life and now it's over.
These are people we were with24 7, through hard weather
(08:34):
conditions, things going on inour lives and they were always
there.
You, you were never going tofall.
If you were with a DCC, youwere never going to fall.
If you were with a DCC, youwere never going to be alone.
You were never going to doanything that you couldn't
handle because they were goingto pick you up.
And I think it's great thatMaddie saw you had that and you.
(09:01):
That's the part you shared.
I mean everybody wants to share.
Hey, we went to a Super Bowl, orlook at me on the field.
It takes a lot to get to thatpoint and I don't think people
understand how hard it is to getthere.
Yeah, I have like this visionthat the fans picture the Dallas
(09:26):
Cowboys cheerleaders and allNFL cheerleaders waiting in the
tunnel.
They just come from fairy dust.
All of a sudden they're juststanding there Out on the field.
We go and we put on thisawesome performance and we work,
work, work and then we leavethe field and the fairy dust
(09:48):
leaves and it's just liquor inthe air until the next game.
That's not even close.
No, not even close.
And that is when you thinkabout it, that, yes, maybe the
game is three hours.
When you think about it that,yes, maybe the game is three
hours.
But you know that three hoursis such a minute slice of the
(10:11):
pie of what it takes to getthere.
Shannon Salter (10:31):
But what's so great is that you come away from
your years of cheering withthat and the background in the
history Absolutely.
And you know, most folks don'tknow what that journey is for
each cheerleader.
What was her journey to get tothat point?
You know, some are a little bitmore obvious than others, but
they're all interesting.
It's all different paths of howyou got there, why you became a
cheerleader.
And that's what I findfascinating, because you look
(10:51):
back and you're going how manyyears did you cheer?
Well, I cheered, I didn't makeit, then I made it and then I
was gone for a few years.
I mean, you're like, why did Iknow that?
And it's because everybody'spath to DC is so different and
so diverse and just fascinating.
Tami Barber (11:10):
It is.
And yet what happens when youget there is we all become just
perfectly lined up andintertwined.
It's like the universe puts theright people there, puts the
right people there, and that'swhat everybody wants to say.
Well, y'all don't really getalong that well, and you did
(11:32):
this and you did that, and wejust have.
One of the number one reasonsfor this podcast was no, it's
not like that at all.
I'm trying to figure out what,what, what, what are you even
talking about that?
We don't get along.
I, I breathe with these girls.
I right, this is my world.
(11:55):
All of a sudden, like you said,you're in a family and you're
in a world.
So, maddie, you decided, didyou decide in 2018 to try?
I did decide.
Did you decide in 2018 to tryout?
I did.
I decided in 2018, tried out2019, all the way to 2021, made
it and I can't believe I'm goingfor my fourth season already.
(12:15):
No, I, I know I can't believe you are.
I mean, I know, I know your momcan't.
Your mom remembers the day youwere born.
Shannon Salter (12:23):
I mean like other legacy, you know, DCC moms
, I'm not ready for therollercoaster ride to end yet.
Oh, you know it's arollercoaster ride and you're
kind of like I'm not ready forthe ride to be over yet.
But I let her decide thatfourth year because I mean she
(12:45):
knew I wanted her to try itagain because I had three years
and her going for her fourthyear is something I don't know
what that's going to be like.
I didn't do four years and Iwas like you know, yeah, our
years are somewhat parallel, buta fourth year is a, is a next
is a more responsibility, a stepup.
They're going to want more fromyou hopefully.
(13:09):
So this fourth year it'll be new, I mean year four, but it's
going to be her year.
I can't say well, my third year, I got to do this and this and
this.
Let's see what happens.
No, this is all new.
Tami Barber (13:24):
No, it is all new.
It's all new.
I mean, even for us from the70s, every year was so different
, and I don't know about you two, but I'm going to ask you this
question out of nowhere.
I remember there were timestowards the end of a season my
(13:45):
first and second year that Ithought I don't know if I can do
this again, because you don'thave a life aside from the
Cowboy Cheerleaders.
It's practice, it's appearances, it's all-consuming.
I tell people I don't even knowwho was president while I was
(14:06):
cheering, because there was nooutside world for me, it was all
cowboys.
And you think, you know, Ithink this might be it, I think
this might be it, and then, allof a sudden, it's the last game
and you're walking off the fieldfor the last time.
Is that when you decide?
Madeline Salter (14:27):
so I actually, for the longest time, my third
year going oh I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm ready to put my
pom-poms away and go exploresomething else.
And then, I believe it was whenwe finished.
I think it was bank.
No, not banquet, it was thelast game.
It was last game because, um,it was our playoff game so oh,
(14:51):
green bay, yeah, yeah and Iremember so.
Unfortunately, my first year Igot COVID so I couldn't go to
the playoff game.
I know I know.
So it was very sad.
Thank you, 49ers.
And then, of course, secondyear, we didn't get a playoff
(15:13):
game because it was away.
So when I had my very firstplayoff game, I was like, wait,
wait, what do you mean?
It's over?
No, it can't be over that fast.
I've auditioned three times.
It cannot be over that.
But I auditioned three times.
It cannot be over this fast.
And I thought to myself allthat hard work, I I can do one
(15:34):
more year.
I know I can do one more yearbecause you remember, there were
times where I was just well,you were doubting, you know what
?
Shannon Salter (15:44):
She was like what more do I have to give to
the team mom?
You know you have to be a teammember, you, you won't be still
contributing and you still haveto feel like I, you know, I can
still be a necessary asset tothis team.
And and I didn't.
She was kind of likequestioning that.
And then it was kind of likemaybe, maybe I do need to look
(16:08):
at where I'm at and and and I'mnot ready to have this.
When I was finishing up myrookie year, I got to do some of
the telethons like, and I waslike oh, I want, I want more of
this, I want you know.
And then, going in, going intomy second year, I got to do the
(16:28):
tours and that's why I reallydid my tour here.
When you go on those USO tours,it's life-changing.
Oh yeah, three and a half weeksof solid performance.
Your body is in such greatshape, the warm-up it's like,
well, my body's kind of stillwarm from you know, pop your
head a little bit, twist yourback and you're ready to go.
(16:50):
I wanted more of that, and Imean you're seeing parts of the
world and you're entertainingand you're seeing the troops
that give of their lives andyou're kind of like going into
third year.
That's why I returned.
I was like I want more of thiswe all have a special thing.
Tami Barber (17:11):
I mean, obviously we love the games, obviously,
but there's really a small partof everything that we do and you
know we did children'shospitals and nursing homes
that's my favorite yes, yes, and, and and, because that's where
(17:33):
you get to look in their eyesand see them you know the game
is just a mass of people thatyou, just you, stare up and
smile and you might catch an eye.
You might catch a person, butno, the tours, the special
appearances, uh charity events.
That's where you feel likeyou're really doing your cowboy
(17:54):
cheerleader work beyond thefield, beyond dallas.
Shannon Salter (17:59):
I like that.
Yeah, above and beyond, yeah,yeah, yes.
And you got to remember, tamm,you have the Super Bowl years.
I do.
You look on the record and Itold Maddie this how many times
I go, baby, if you're not goingto a Super Bowl, what are the
other years that they look andmake reference to, when they
(18:20):
were really kind of the worst?
And you look up 1989, they were1-15, you know, oh yeah, and so
it was like you know, we're notthere just to hopefully go to
the Super Bowl.
We're there for so much moreand the games are a big part of
it.
Winning or losing it didn'tmatter.
(18:42):
You were just thankful to bepart of that world and and you
knew it was going to be such ashort part of your life right,
well, and you know, yes, thegames.
Tami Barber (18:53):
But you know, as maddie referred, we don't go to
away games, that's true right soyou know, all we have is what
maybe well, I don't know whaty'all had, but we had maybe
seven home games.
We have 10, you have 10, okay,and next year they may be adding
more.
Madeline Salter (19:12):
I hear that is what I've heard as well, I don't
know.
Tami Barber (19:17):
Yes, we, we will not divulge that yet I would
want more, I know.
But I mean, you think aboutlike the 70s and us 80 girls.
We were on the field maybeseven times, but yet our lives
are full.
We're always busy.
It's almost like, ooh, thereisn't a game coming up.
(19:38):
Where are we going?
What are we doing?
Right, because we're a team.
Exactly, we are there for theCowboys, but we are a team with
our own itinerary.
And you look at the itinerarycoming up and you're like, oh
look, there's a game.
Madeline Salter (20:01):
We've got a game this weekend.
I need to go plan out myweekend.
I go tan.
I need to make sure yeah is myuniform clean.
I have enough tights in case.
You know.
Unfortunately I snappedsomething right.
Yeah, yeah, friday.
You dedicate friday saturdayfor that day.
(20:22):
But it's all worth it and it'sgreat planning.
Tami Barber (20:25):
You have to be such a planner.
Shannon Salter (20:28):
And the tunnel moments, ugh, I just oh, and
Tamm, her tunnel experience isdifferent from yours and mine.
You know we had Texas Stadium,the one big tunnel, one big
tunnel.
Tami Barber (20:46):
yes, there are tunnels everywhere.
Oh and yeah.
And then the side entrancesfrom DraftKings.
Shannon Salter (20:54):
Yeah, they're not one single line.
They're clumped together in thevisitor tunnel and and the
other tunnel.
I think you were in kelly'sthey actually say there's a elly
tunnel and there's the judytunnel oh fun.
Madeline Salter (21:09):
So the reason why they say that when we have
practice uh, for game day, so weget there you always have
practice before the actual game,so we run through pre-game uh,
pre-game, excuse me, pre-gameand um, Kelly's always on the
back of the field to watch thegirls from that point of view
(21:29):
and judy's always in the front.
And so my favorite part ofthunderstruck is when we turn
around to the back and becauseKelly's always right there and
I'm just like having the besttime and that's my chance,
especially when I was a rookie Iwas in the back row, easy to
find, easy to find.
(21:50):
That's my favorite part,because that was my time to be
front row.
I was front line because thatthe whole audience on that side,
that was my time to be frontrow.
I was front line because thatthe whole audience on that side,
that was my audience.
I was like all right for this.
What three second moment, I'mgonna give you a show.
Of course you give this showthe whole time, but no, I know
what you're saying.
Tami Barber (22:10):
You, you get it's a different perspective and and
it's funny because when you talkabout how we practice before
the game, you know we're therelike four days before the game.
It seems like I practice,practice, but it's when it's
empty.
There's nobody there except theworker bees, and you do turn
(22:34):
around, like for us we wouldturn around and it was either
Suzanne or taxi, and you justfeel like they're staring right
at me.
They're staring right at me,yep, right at me, and 35 other
girls are thinking.
She's staring right at me,she'll see it.
Shannon Salter (22:55):
They'll see it, she'll see it, yep.
Tami Barber (22:58):
Yep, but yes, the games are amazing, amazing.
And I will be honest, Shannon,when you talked about when the
team isn't doing as well, Iremember because I did get two
Super Bowls I remember thinkingI don't know if I'd want to be a
cheerleader if we didn't get togo to a Super Bowl.
Shannon Salter (23:19):
Well, very true, yeah.
But I also knew I was part ofan elite group and, no matter
how good or bad the Cowboys did,there were people that wanted
to see us.
You know, even for a CMT show,even before all the notoriety
that's come over the years, they, you know, when the game wasn't
(23:42):
doing very well, they were like, well, we, you know, we get to
watch the cheerleaders, we'recoming to see them.
And so you're like, okay, youknow a little different
perspective, but you're like,hey, you signed up for this.
Good or bad, winning or losing,you're there to cheer for the
cowboys.
So do it and do your best,whether we're athletes.
Tami Barber (24:03):
Uh, you don't win every game, that's true I love
that I love that okay, I wouldlove, I'm gonna don't win any
game
Madeline Salter (24:13):
No, I mean, I'll get on a knife and see the
Cowboys go.
Yea
Tami Barber (24:21):
And what's fun about being with the Cowboys is
they have a notoriety as well.
And when you're a rookie andyou've only seen you know like
for me it was Roger Staubach,you've only seen you know like
for me it was oger starbuck andall of a sudden I'm on a field
(24:43):
looking at you're not whoa, andthere's tom landry with his hat.
Oh, oh, oh yeah, and what youknow?
It wasn't even about me then,and uh, but and that so, so
addie's trying out, oh and oh.
And first I I forgot to saythat shannon and maddie are in
(25:05):
virginia right now.
You're right yes yeah, they'retraveling together to a family
wedding for the weekend.
How fun.
And that's the other thing thatI love about mother-daughters,
because that's a toughrelationship mother-daughters
(25:27):
Mom wants the very, very bestfor you.
Daughter thinks mom doesn'tknow anything.
I love the look.
And yet when you two are on thefield together at a reunion,
(25:50):
what, what is that?
Like, maddie, you know yourmom's on the field, your mom's
dancing somewhere on the field,are you even?
I mean, I know we're thinkingabout you, know you got to do
your thing and hit your mark andand not make a mistake.
Yeah, but you have to know thatshe's there on the field.
Madeline Salter (26:18):
That is so true .
So my first time doing thealumni halftime.
Well, growing up there wasnever a chance to do like
mother-daughter dancing.
It was either father-daughterdancing like they do for high
school and studios.
So growing up mom would tell mea lot of great stories going
(26:41):
with USO tours or practices.
And I saw that on the field,especially during practice when
we were in Highland Park and Isaw her having fun with her
girls and I was like, oh my gosh, I just saw my mom back when
she was a cheerleader.
It was like I was seeing aflashback.
(27:02):
I went.
That's because it's crazy whenpeople people ask me like is
your favorite cheerleader yourmom?
I never met her, I never seeher, I've never seen her dance.
Shannon Salter (27:13):
Uniform.
Madeline Salter (27:14):
Exactly, and so I remember looking over because
mom mom was in the front.
Good, job and you were closerto the 50.
Tami Barber (27:21):
Good job nobody knows how important that is oh,
yeah, you you, you work for it,go ahead.
Madeline Salter (27:30):
I'm I'm very spoiled.
I'm very thankful I don't moveout of the 45 to 50.
But I remember going oh my gosh, that's why she did it Because
you have like biological sisters, but those were your sisters.
You see them at practice, allday with practice.
Some of them were at yourwedding.
(27:52):
Some of them held me when I wasa baby.
Shannon Salter (27:58):
Oh yeah, that's a great story.
Madeline Salter (27:59):
And then also it's crazy just seeing like I've
seen VHS tapes of you guys ontour vlogging for the first time
.
My favorite is still the.
Shannon Salter (28:12):
Australia, yeah, is still the Australia.
Yeah, because, Tami, you haveto realize, Kelly, you know the
director there.
Now I view her as a formerteammate.
She's an alum I mean, Maddiesees her as that's my director,
that's my boss, and so we keepit that perspective.
Because it's, you know her, herrelationship with Kelly is
(28:37):
Kelly is different than mine,you know.
I mean, she was an alumni, wecheered together and we did
those tours together and youknow, Maddie, it's her director
and I like that.
That's a different perspective,but same person.
Tami Barber (28:55):
Right, right, I like that.
We're all still there.
Now tell me the story aboutDCC's holding Maddie as a baby.
Shannon Salter (29:08):
Okay, so there's an assistant.
That's part of theadministration.
Her name's Michelle Sharp,Sharpie.
Yes, yes, oh, I love her.
I cheered with sharpie, shecan.
I think she joined um.
My second year was her rookieyear.
Fast forward to Michele'swedding.
Okay, and I it had to have been.
(29:28):
Manny was born in 89, so shehad to have been married.
It was, oh, sorry you were notpregnant with me.
You're merging together.
It's 90, because I was invitedto the wedding.
But I didn't want Maddie to cryin a ceremony.
I was like, oh my God, if shestarts wailing during the
(29:51):
ceremony it's going to, I'mgoing to lose it, right, I'll be
walking out in the middle.
And so I brought her to thereception and Maddie was all in
her pretty cute little outfitand we don't have a photo, but
Michelle held Maddie in herwedding dress.
I mean, she looked Sharpie,looked stunning really that.
that neckline and and just shelooked elegant, she.
(30:13):
She held Maddie at her weddingreception.
Oh my God, never knowing howmany years later Maddie would be
working so close with Sharpieand we.
That happened with ShelleyBromhill, I mean Shelley Roper,
all these women that were thatare part of the administration
saw Maddie as a, as a newborn,as a toddler.
(30:36):
I mean they've seen her.
You know, like I said, in thoselittle bits of time when I let
Maddie kind of be part of theDCC.
Madeline Salter (30:47):
The wedding is another example I've met my best
friend because of DCC.
Oh yeah, that story too.
That makes me cry, because whenyou find your best friend, you
think like where have you beenall my life?
And it's because of DCC.
Her name is Dylan, so her mom.
(31:10):
I shared with mom what year wasPaula's year.
Shannon Salter (31:12):
Paula was 89.
And there was an alumniperformance I think it was the
breast cancer game, and wecarpooled and I remember you did
, paul and I threw, we put Dylanand Maddie in the back seat and
(31:33):
we drove from Austin up toDallas and, you know, and Paul
and I were kind of grinningbecause they're very close in
age and the only thing they haveconnected is their mother and
daughter.
I mean, their mothers were DCCtogether and Maddie and Dylan,
they just clicked, you know, aswe didn't even have to like, go
(31:56):
be nice.
You be nice to Dylan, okay,she's a nice girl, you go be
nice.
Didn't have to do that.
You be nice to Dylan Okay,she's a nice girl, you go be
nice.
Didn't have to do that.
They enjoyed the event theywere going to.
They didn't know what they weredoing, they just knew moms.
Our moms are, you know, formerDCC and they had a great time
and they started a friendshipthat's still lasting to this day
, oh For 10 years Dylan's not Adancer she's not in the DCC,
(32:21):
she's not a dancer.
She took a different path.
She did cheerleading and theyhave stayed friends and Dylan
keeps Maddie grounded.
We love that.
I love that it's a chance forthose two to, whenever they get
back together, to be in a worldthat's not DCC and they're
(32:45):
friends because they want to befriends, not because we made
them right, but but it is butthe only reason they met is
because of because of dcc ohyeah well, and it's funny
because the term best friend isso well.
Tami Barber (33:01):
First of all, bff is is totally overused.
But you have, um, likeeverything else in your life,
you have a place where somepeople live and you know they're
going to be there, and then youhave this group over here and,
especially as you get older andolder, you have more and more
and more, but like somebody,like dylan and Maddie, they will
(33:22):
always have that car, that roadtrip yes and as life goes on,
those are the things that stickout with me, with my friends.
Oh, do you, do you remember whenwe were seven and we did it?
You know that that's what formsyou and, uh, best friends can
(33:49):
come in all shapes and sizesyeah, you know, um, I I want to
kind of go back just for asecond.
Shannon Salter (33:59):
You were talking about when we were at the
alumni rehearsal and how Maddiewas.
You know how we're on the fieldtogether?
Oh, when we're at the highschool.
Yeah, yeah, one of the hardestthings to do is stop being the
dance mom and be the alumni.
Any, any, any mom that's intotheir kid, whether it be band.
(34:24):
You know cheerleading football,you know you're, you're there
to cheer your kid on and you'relike, oh my, you're all
consuming.
And you, you know, you want thebest for the team, you want the
best for your kid.
And when we do that alumnihalftime, I realized first time
I was like, okay, I cannot watchMaddie, I cannot be over there
going oh my God, she looks sogood and you know the alumni.
(34:47):
And then it's all sending.
You hear Judy's voice goingladies, ladies of the eighties,
you're next and I'm like, oh mygosh, what yard light.
Oh, wait, a minute.
I had to stop being the dancemom and be the alumni and go.
Okay, mental note, I have tonot watch Madeline.
I cannot, you know, watcheverything she's doing.
(35:07):
Stop being that dance mom, bethe alumni.
You signed up to do this.
Now pay attention.
Tami Barber (35:13):
I've never even thought about that because I
didn't have any children, so Idon't have to worry about
somebody else, and and I but Imean think of the years you know
that Maddie's been there.
That is your focus.
Shannon Salter (35:27):
Right and I never.
If you said, okay, you're goingto be an alumni and how many
you know, 20 something yearslater, write this script.
You're going to be on the fieldthe same time.
Your daughter is going to be onthe field and you're mere 10
yards away, so don't watch her.
You don't.
You've got.
How do you not?
How do you not?
It's 46 yard line.
(35:49):
You're on the second row, rightbehind Sharpie, and there's
Tina.
And okay, now don't watch yourdaughter, because you have a job
to do and it's fast, becauseit's the 80s Well but no, but
it's, it's's.
you're waiting on the sidelinebecause once the ladies of the
70s finished, we had to come out.
You have to not watch your kidyou have to turn that dance.
Tami Barber (36:12):
I don't know how you do that, because you've done
that since the day she was born.
That's where your heart, youreyes, your focus goes on that
child, yeah.
But then you sit there and thenyou have to put it all back and
and try and do and, and, asmuch as we love, love, our half
times they're nerve-wracking.
(36:33):
Yeah, they're fast and I I'm sonervous and I don't want to
make a mistake, and especiallynow, what have we got?
80,000 people that have acamera in their hands.
Shannon Salter (36:48):
Mm-hmm, I mean that's big, Over 93,000.
Yes, by the time halftimeeverybody's there.
People are in their seat andsitting down like a pregame and
you're like, wow, okay, this isa lot.
Tami Barber (37:05):
This is a lot yeah.
Shannon Salter (37:09):
When we did the alumni, we ran the flag out and
Maddie was signing.
.
Tami Barber (37:13):
Yes, oh, that's right.
Shannon Salter (37:16):
I was part of rolling the flag out and I was
like, oh my gosh, here again hada job to do and although she's
right behind the the, she's onthe other side of the flag and
she's signing the nationalanthem and I'm holding it.
I'm trying not to lose it,which is kind of hard.
I've got tears, I know, but itwas like you couldn't have
(37:40):
written that script.
You couldn't.
Hey, how do you know thatyou're going to be on the field
holding the flag during thenational anthem, your daughter's
signing it?
You know, for american signlanguage, write that script out.
Tami Barber (37:53):
See how that's gonna, you know right and I want
to, I want to make sureeverybody heard Madeline signs,
the national anthem, every homegame.
He's standing there in herDallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
uniform and she is so beautifuland so low, just fluid, just a
(38:19):
beautiful.
Yeah, I and, and I have acouple of deaf friends.
So when I found out that Maddiewas doing this and that this
was part of her job, it just hitme in a special place in my
heart, because I have friendsthat are deaf and you don't know
(38:43):
how important that is to themand it's a gift, it is, and they
I mean they- they know what'sgoing, what's being, but going
on at that part of the pre-game.
Shannon Salter (38:57):
But they're being representative, you know
they're being acknowledged.
Hey, this is what's going on.
We don't have somebody singing,we have a trumpeteer, freddie
jones company, by madelinesalter, and it's all yes, and
and it's representative,represented, and of course you
know a dcc's doing it and thatwas the best part.
Tami Barber (39:18):
that's the best part, it's not.
It's like oh, who's in thenational anthem?
It's always somebody new.
It's always this, it's alwaysthat.
No, this is what the DallasCowboys present to you.
One of our own is including you, and that's see.
I get goosebumps just thinkingabout that.
Shannon Salter (39:37):
Oh, I know, Every time when I hear a name,
you'll hear I'm standing upvideotaping it's like this with
your iPad.
Tami Barber (39:45):
Pay attention, I know, Shannon, I would think
that would be very difficult.
You have to remember yourroutine, your yard line, who
you're next to.
Watch to your right, watch toyour left and front and back.
Remember this and my daughter'sover there.
That would be so much.
(40:07):
That's too much for my brainbut.
Shannon Salter (40:09):
but I mean we're , we're.
I mean for the first time whereI'm like maddie, we're going to
rehearsal together.
Your rehearsal is a lot harderthan mine, but you know, when
we're doing that Saturdayrehearsal in Highland Park, we
drive together and I'm like I'mgoing to rehearsal, I'm going to
(40:30):
practice with her, I've got mypartners, the girl she's
practicing with, I'm having mine.
Even just the rehearsal aspectof it was a blast.
Tami Barber (40:42):
It is, I uh, the highlights of the reunion
weekend.
one of them is rehearsal day.
I mean, obviously we're alittle more casual and out of
control, and a lot of screamingand seeing each other, um, and,
and, poor Judy and Kelly, it'slike rein us in how, how, and
(41:06):
and then you've got Brooke,who's in charge of all the uh,
the, the grown-ups that don'twant to pay attention because
it's just, it's so much and itgoes so.
And then all of a sudden we'releaving again and can't wait
Next year?
Shannon Salter (41:28):
Did we perform good enough that Kelly and Judy
want to go through that all overagain?
You know, because we keepgetting more alumni keep showing
up.
Right, we have a bigger showingshowing.
Bigger and better showing.
Tami Barber (41:43):
Yes, corralling feral cats has to be an anxiety
weekend for all involved that'sfunny.
Shannon Salter (41:52):
Yeah, keep it, look, keep.
Tami Barber (41:54):
Oh, my gosh, that is wonderful well, I have
enjoyed this so very much.
Is there anything else you wantto share or you thought of that
you want to go back to, becauseI love this?
I mean, I just mother-daughterthings to me are very special.
Madeline Salter (42:15):
I do I do Okay, it was the first time I
remember anything DCC in my life.
It was when Texas Stadium wascoming down.
Oh, I know, I know, I didn'tmean to break both of you guys'
hearts.
Shannon Salter (42:34):
I told you I took her to things that weren't
always, you know, glitz andglamour.
This was another.
Madeline Salter (42:40):
I didn't mean to break both of you guys'
hearts but I mean I was eightand I remember all right, we
have to get up early.
We got to get to Irving becausewe lived at Carrollton at the
time and it was just a funtailgate party in the beginning,
just enjoying everyone'scompany, and I think I got to
(43:00):
meet more and more alumni justenjoying everyone's company and
I think I got to meet more andmore alumni.
And then Sunrise came aroundand I remember holding your pink
.
You were busy, you were withyour alumni sisters, but I
remember I held your pink Razorphone and I was recording it and
I remember looking over and youguys were in tears and I like
(43:22):
it was horrible why is momcrying.
Why is mom crying?
And as I got older I went oh mygosh, that was our second home,
that was your guys home.
And I can't imagine, especiallywith my two best friend rookie
sisters, katie and Kelly, whenwe get older and if it's you
know, on to a new stadium andgoodbye to AT&T it's gonna, it's
(43:45):
gonna feel the same.
It's gonna feel the same, yeah,yeah, of course, with other um,
like getting my ring for thefirst time or taking the field
for this first time.
We share similar um feelings.
But that moment of uh,vulnerability when I saw at a
very young age, I went look atthem, holding onto each other.
Yeah, look at them.
And that's why I lean so muchon not only my rookie sisters,
(44:10):
but my leader, both of myleaders this year, claire and
Danny.
So what we do for coming up on agame week, we would film at
practice and then we would sendthem to each other and be like
all right, what do we need towork on?
I would screenshot something Ineed to work on and I would send
it to Claire.
(44:30):
And it's always when my hair isgoing crazy Because at least
you're watching and I'm proud.
The reason why I say this?
Because I remember we weretalking about the little moments
that not everyone sees.
It takes.
Everyone think oh, pixie, doesthey just show up and then they
disappear and they'll be herenext week.
It's those little moments.
Tami Barber (44:50):
And they are.
That's what.
That's what you take away fromit.
And I love that Maddie doesn'thave to go turn in a uniform and
walk away and have it all goaway.
She's got another yes,hopefully a uniform and walk
away and have it all go away.
She's got another yes,hopefully, place to go.
That's what I love, and loveabout brooke, because she said
(45:10):
that was brooke's.
Uh, quote from brooke was doesdoesn't everybody feel this way,
how I was such a part of thislarge thing and did all this
stuff and now I'm just gonnawalk away we don't have to walk
away anymore right
Shannon Salter (45:27):
absolutely and well, and I think, when you know
, closing comments, I think whatI guess I would want to kind of
convey is, um, themother-daughter relationship.
You know, um, yes, Maddie and Ihave this beautiful thing
between us, but, um, I, I neverrealized.
(45:50):
I mean, I come, I have threeolder sisters and our mom, of
course, I never thought I wasgoing to have this kind of a
relationship with my daughter.
Yes, it's people just well,because she's a legacy, you know
, oh, it's, it's a wonderfulmother daughter.
Um, I truly love like talkingto her.
I mean she calls me, I mean,what, how you see our
(46:14):
relationship when people see iton the field or or, you know,
outside the DCC world.
I mean we truly have.
She talks to me every day.
You know, I'll be shopping andI'm trying and I see this cute
outfit, and I've gotten to thepoint now where I'm like, don't
you?
like this Because that sets herup and it sets me up for
(46:35):
rejection.
Well, what if you know she'sgoing to say she likes it, just
because mom wants to buy it forher?
Madeline Salter (46:44):
I'll text her thoughts, and sometimes it's an
outfit that she's like oh no,thank you, I'm like no ma'am.
Shannon Salter (46:47):
No, thank you.
Thank you, and I don't takeoffense.
It's a way of shopping withouther being there and sometimes I
hit the mark and she's like, oh,mom, I love it.
We.
It's an understanding between amother and daughter where I'm
not taking things constantlypersonally, you know, or she has
, you know.
You know why, doesn't she?
(47:08):
I'm her mom.
She should like everything Isuggest and you know, mother
knows better and best, I know,but I mean so it's I just.
I like our relationship becausewhat you see is what it is.
I like our relationship becausewhat you see is what it is.
It's not like we put onsomething fake just because
(47:29):
she's a legacy and I used to bea cheerleader.
What you see is what ourrelationship is?
Tami Barber (47:32):
Oh, definitely, definitely.
Shannon Salter (47:36):
I see that in you too.
Tami Barber (47:39):
It's not all like I think one of my favorite things
was getting to know both of youover the past couple years is I
don't see, when I talk to justShannon, I see Shannon.
Then Maddie comes into thepicture.
I still see Shannon.
Shannon doesn't become somebodyelse because Maddie's standing
(48:02):
there now.
And when Maddie and I are justtalking and we're being goofy
and I have a picture with you,with your hood on, sitting right
next to me, yes, but your momwalks up and we're still goofy,
(48:24):
there's no performance when it'sjust us.
I don't see that.
You see it in some people where, oh, my mom's here or, okay, my
daughter's here, I'm going toact this way.
No, what you see is what youget, no matter what.
just because we're on thefield for five minutes once a
(48:48):
year and I'm, and and our brainsaren't really on the field, um,
or there's cameras in front ofus and somebody's doing an
interview.
Shannon Salter (48:58):
Um, oh yeah, you know, there we're not just
putting on show because I know Ithink the public could, they
could recognize, they could readthrough it and go.
Well, that that doesn't seem,that doesn't sound right, you
know exactly.
Tami Barber (49:13):
No, we are, and I just I want to let all of you
know that this has been a veryspecial treat for me, because I
I'm getting to know the mothersand the daughters in a different
light, but since I know both ofthese ladies, I see you, I see
(49:34):
the girls that I love and I seewhenever we're together and I
just want to thank you both, andI just want to thank you both
um, first of all, everybody whenthis comes out.
Send that positive energy to.
Maddie for her fourth yeartryout because it is not
(49:54):
guaranteed there are many womenwho will tell you they went back
to try out for their second,third, fourth year of NFL
cheerleading and that they weresent home.
Um, of course that's not gonnahappen to our Maddie, but for us
, then we never send the lovesend the love.
(50:16):
Send the love to Maddie,because she's got some, some
real tough competition, andthat's what I love is that
anybody who comes back knowsthat and doesn't assume that
you're already back.
And happy Mother's Day, Shannon.
(50:39):
Thank you, you girls have awonderful weekend on the East
Coast.
Madeline Salter (50:46):
And Tami from the current DCC, Happy Mother's
Day.
Tami Barber (50:52):
Thank you.
I know you're all my daughters.
Madeline Salter (50:55):
I was like, I mean if I know the story about
the pig tails, but I'm likethat's my thing If I could have
met you in uniform.
Shannon Salter (51:12):
oh, my gosh I would have just melted.
Madeline Salter (51:13):
I mean, I would have loved to too, but I'm like
mean damn.
Shannon Salter (51:18):
Yeah, I mean, those ponytails are an icon and
that's what when we talk about.
You know, alumni is is like hermom's.
That's how she views you guys.
You know that.
And so on a Monday, it's veryjust because you don't have a
daughter.
This is like having a daughterand she'll.
Tami Barber (51:36):
I love and and it usually happens on Saturday at
that rehearsal, current girlscome up.
I tried out because of you.
I tried out because of the 70sgirls.
I tried.
You know we are the smallestgroup, obviously, and it's just.
(51:57):
You guys have no idea.
I mean, even the 80s and the90s will come up and tell us
that they tried out because ofus and it means the world to us.
It means we did our job, wecreated something other people
want to become.
Of course my camera is doingthat, because my cat is rubbing
(52:19):
her face on the corner of my carI was wondering what that was.
And and I know 90s girls willsay to the 80s girls I tried out
because of you.
That is so amazing to hear.
I don't think.
(52:39):
I think people take things likethat for granted, but we don't.
Shannon Salter (52:45):
Or maybe think that the different decades don't
express that, they don't go andsay, hey, you know what?
You may not know it, but youmade a difference in my road to
DCC.
Yeah, we don't always put workthoughts to words and go.
I saw Tami in those ponytailsand I thought through it and I
(53:06):
saw myself in that uniform, andor I got to speak to that alumni
for a few minutes and itmotivated me to try out again.
And this time I don't thinkpeople realize that those
stories are shared and they turnout to be incredibly positive
for that girl that keeps tryingand does make the team.
Tami Barber (53:29):
Yeah, so, anyways.
So, and happy Mother's Day toall the moms out there.
Madeline Salter (53:35):
Thank you.
Tami Barber (53:35):
Maddie.
Thank you, Shannon.
Have a wonderful weekend andwe'll be right back.
I want to thank Shannon andMadeline for taking time to
visit with me while they were ontheir weekend away.
Didn't you just love the storyabout Michelle Sharp holding
(53:59):
Madeline at her wedding so cute.
Seeing through their eyes madeit very special to know that
the legacy lives on.
And don't forget, send thatextra love as Madeline tries out
for next year's squad.
There are more cheerleadersfrom around the US, more stories
and more secrets if you tune into Sideline Legends in their
(54:25):
own words Subscribe, share andreach out if you have any
questions.
You can also join the Facebookgroup and if I can get my poop
in a group yeah, that's a saying.
I'm launching the website thisweek.
It's going to be full of photos, videos, stories and more from
(54:48):
our NFL alumni.
Check out the Facebook groupfor that announcement.
Talk to you soon.
You're my people.
Hi and welcome to another episode of Sideline
Legends, in their own words.
I'm Tami, your host, and youare in for a great time.
This is May and it meansMother's Day.
I've been blessed to interviewtwo NFL mother-daughter
(00:30):
cheerleaders.
First up is Shannon Hall Salterand Madeline Salter.
But wait, Madeline is a currentDallas Cowboys cheerleader.
With special permission fromthe Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Organization, I was able to getMaddie on the show.
(00:50):
I know right, Shannon andMaddie share their road to the
NFL, how Shannon's teammateswere able to watch Madeline grow
up and why Maddie wanted to bea DCC.
Watching this mother anddaughter side by side was
priceless, and I know you'regoing to love them.
(01:15):
Hi everybody, welcome to anotherepisode of Sideline Legends and
it being May, it is MotherDaughter month on our show today
and I am so excited because wehave a one of a kind here today.
We have a current DCC.
All of our other interviews aregoing to be with alumni, which
(01:38):
I love too, but Maddie is myfavorite.
Am I allowed to say that?
I love all the DCCs, butMaddie.
When we met a couple of yearsago, it was just like she was my
little mini me, although she'slike five feet taller than I am.
(01:58):
I'm always saying I want to putMaddie in my pocket and bring
her home.
We just clicked.
You know how you just havepeople
And then I got to meet mom.
Shannon is her mom and Shannoncheered under the name of
Shannon Hall in her rookie year.
(02:20):
That was 1987.
And then she cheered alsothrough 88 and 89.
And Maddie's rookie year was2021.
And she is currently gettingready to try out again for the
24-25 season, which isnerve-wracking, but we're not
going to go there.
Let's not talk about auditions.
(02:42):
Everybody will get gurglytummies Now my question with
all mother daughters is maddie,did you always want to be a
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader?
Tami, thank you for having me.
I'm so excited to do this,especially with you and mom.
(03:02):
No, I didn't decide to becomea Dallas Cowboys cheerleader
because of mom.
But growing up I starteddancing at the age of six.
Mom realized at that age that,oh, my daughter wants to
entertain.
I did a lovely tap piece to awhole lot of shaking going on.
(03:26):
It had fringe, it had feathers, it had a big pink bow on my
back and she saw that I was alsosinging along to it.
So little me trying to danceand also sing a song.
She, she goes.
Oh, this is what she's going tocontinue for the rest of her
life, and so it wasn't till thesummer of 2018.
(03:50):
I went to go see Meet The Teamfor the first time.
M om was invited and I was herplus one and I didn't know what
to expect.
I mean, I've seen, seen CMTbefore, but nothing could
compare to what I experiencedthat day.
We arrived to meet the team and, all of a sudden, the pregame
(04:14):
began and as the cheerleadersstarted taking the field, I
started to tear up.
You did, and I was.
I was thinking what?
(04:34):
Oh, my goodness, that's my dream, that my dream is in front of
me, and this emotional reactionis real, is very real.
And I remember looking to mymom when, uh, when it was over
and I went.
I want to try it out.
Shannon Salter (04:54):
I had the biggest,
Tami Barber (04:59):
first of all, so you didn't really grow up having
mom say anything about you.
Oh, I want you to be a DallasCowboys Cheerleader.
I was one.
It was a wonderful experience.
Shannon Salter (05:11):
I wo it for you, none of that um well, tammy, I
was more strategic than that.
I was like, hey, she likes.
Well, thank you for having uson the podcast.
(05:35):
Much so I.
When I saw that she liked theidea of Sorry alarm I enjoyed
the aspect of entertaining andshe kind of took pretty well to
it.
I was like, ok, we'll see.
I introduced her to differentaspects of the cowboy
cheerleader.
You know everybody assumed, oh,you put her in junior DCC and
(05:58):
you put her out on the field.
Oh right, that's the fun stuff,that's the easy stuff Right.
That's the fun stuff, that's theeasy stuff I let her go to when
our beloved Suzanne Mitchell,her memorial in Dallas.
Maddie went to that.
I wanted her women behind thescenes, women I had talked about
(06:19):
, but this would have been oneof the best ways for her to meet
Shannon Wrthman, judy Trammell,some of the women that I
cheered with, and not in aperformance matter, you know it,
I mean Susie.
It was a day of remembrance butshe got a history lesson that
was going to be once in alifetime I let her come to.
We had an alumni sale at theold studio in Valley Ranch.
(06:42):
She got to see the studio inthat capacity because she saw
alumni sale.
We jus I let her be exposed toaspects of DCC to kind of give
her little samples of you knowyou could become part of this
world.
Not yet, obviously, you're.
You know 12, 13.
(07:03):
World, not yet, obviously,you're, you know 12, 13.
Here's a little sample and lether kind of digest it and say
you know, is this going to befor me?
And I knew this is before CMTreally came around.
I was like this is a world thatyou want to be a part of.
I know you're going to be apart of, but it comes with a lot
of dedication, a lot of blood,sweat and tears, and do you
(07:27):
really want to put your kid intothat?
Are they going to be able tohandle it?
And I didn't want to put thatpressure on her, but I want to
apply enough, just so she couldlook back and go.
This was so well worth it.
It was so worth it.
I like that.
So well worth it.
It was so worth it.
Oh, I like that.
I got to let her make her owndecision, but I had set some
(07:51):
things in motion so she could go.
Oh yeah, mom, I met her backwhen I know you did.
There were reasons for it.
Tami Barber (07:59):
Well, all the alumni were kind of your aunts.
Shannon Salter (08:03):
They are, oh, aunts they are Auntie, paula
yeah, and Kim Kim and Sharpieyeah.
Tami Barber (08:14):
And we've talked about this before on other
episodes about the sisterhoodthat it's family.
These aren't people that blewinto our life and now it's over.
These are people we were with24 7, through hard weather
(08:34):
conditions, things going on inour lives and they were always
there.
You, you were never going tofall.
If you were with a DCC, youwere never going to fall.
If you were with a DCC, youwere never going to be alone.
You were never going to doanything that you couldn't
handle because they were goingto pick you up.
And I think it's great thatMaddie saw you had that and you.
(09:01):
That's the part you shared.
I mean everybody wants to share.
Hey, we went to a Super Bowl, orlook at me on the field.
It takes a lot to get to thatpoint and I don't think people
understand how hard it is to getthere.
Yeah, I have like this visionthat the fans picture the Dallas
(09:26):
Cowboys cheerleaders and allNFL cheerleaders waiting in the
tunnel.
They just come from fairy dust.
All of a sudden they're juststanding there Out on the field.
We go and we put on thisawesome performance and we work,
work, work and then we leavethe field and the fairy dust
(09:48):
leaves and it's just liquor inthe air until the next game.
That's not even close.
No, not even close.
And that is when you thinkabout it, that, yes, maybe the
game is three hours.
When you think about it that,yes, maybe the game is three
hours.
But you know that three hoursis such a minute slice of the
(10:11):
pie of what it takes to getthere.
Shannon Salter (10:31):
But what's so great is that you come away from
your years of cheering withthat and the background in the
history Absolutely.
And you know, most folks don'tknow what that journey is for
each cheerleader.
What was her journey to get tothat point?
You know, some are a little bitmore obvious than others, but
they're all interesting.
It's all different paths of howyou got there, why you became a
cheerleader.
And that's what I findfascinating, because you look
(10:51):
back and you're going how manyyears did you cheer?
Well, I cheered, I didn't makeit, then I made it and then I
was gone for a few years.
I mean, you're like, why did Iknow that?
And it's because everybody'spath to DC is so different and
so diverse and just fascinating.
Tami Barber (11:10):
It is.
And yet what happens when youget there is we all become just
perfectly lined up andintertwined.
It's like the universe puts theright people there, puts the
right people there, and that'swhat everybody wants to say.
Well, y'all don't really getalong that well, and you did
(11:32):
this and you did that, and wejust have.
One of the number one reasonsfor this podcast was no, it's
not like that at all.
I'm trying to figure out what,what, what, what are you even
talking about that?
We don't get along.
I, I breathe with these girls.
I right, this is my world.
(11:55):
All of a sudden, like you said,you're in a family and you're
in a world.
So, maddie, you decided, didyou decide in 2018 to try?
I did decide.
Did you decide in 2018 to tryout?
I did.
I decided in 2018, tried out2019, all the way to 2021, made
it and I can't believe I'm goingfor my fourth season already.
(12:15):
No, I, I know I can't believe you are.
I mean, I know, I know your momcan't.
Your mom remembers the day youwere born.
Shannon Salter (12:23):
I mean like other legacy, you know, DCC moms
, I'm not ready for therollercoaster ride to end yet.
Oh, you know it's arollercoaster ride and you're
kind of like I'm not ready forthe ride to be over yet.
But I let her decide thatfourth year because I mean she
(12:45):
knew I wanted her to try itagain because I had three years
and her going for her fourthyear is something I don't know
what that's going to be like.
I didn't do four years and Iwas like you know, yeah, our
years are somewhat parallel, buta fourth year is a, is a next
is a more responsibility, a stepup.
They're going to want more fromyou hopefully.
(13:09):
So this fourth year it'll be new, I mean year four, but it's
going to be her year.
I can't say well, my third year, I got to do this and this and
this.
Let's see what happens.
No, this is all new.
Tami Barber (13:24):
No, it is all new.
It's all new.
I mean, even for us from the70s, every year was so different
, and I don't know about you two, but I'm going to ask you this
question out of nowhere.
I remember there were timestowards the end of a season my
(13:45):
first and second year that Ithought I don't know if I can do
this again, because you don'thave a life aside from the
Cowboy Cheerleaders.
It's practice, it's appearances, it's all-consuming.
I tell people I don't even knowwho was president while I was
(14:06):
cheering, because there was nooutside world for me, it was all
cowboys.
And you think, you know, Ithink this might be it, I think
this might be it, and then, allof a sudden, it's the last game
and you're walking off the fieldfor the last time.
Is that when you decide?
Madeline Salter (14:27):
so I actually, for the longest time, my third
year going oh I'm done, I'm done, I'm done, I'm ready to put my
pom-poms away and go exploresomething else.
And then, I believe it was whenwe finished.
I think it was bank.
No, not banquet, it was thelast game.
It was last game because, um,it was our playoff game so oh,
(14:51):
green bay, yeah, yeah and Iremember so.
Unfortunately, my first year Igot COVID so I couldn't go to
the playoff game.
I know I know.
So it was very sad.
Thank you, 49ers.
And then, of course, secondyear, we didn't get a playoff
(15:13):
game because it was away.
So when I had my very firstplayoff game, I was like, wait,
wait, what do you mean?
It's over?
No, it can't be over that fast.
I've auditioned three times.
It cannot be over that.
But I auditioned three times.
It cannot be over this fast.
And I thought to myself allthat hard work, I I can do one
(15:34):
more year.
I know I can do one more yearbecause you remember, there were
times where I was just well,you were doubting, you know what
?
Shannon Salter (15:44):
She was like what more do I have to give to
the team mom?
You know you have to be a teammember, you, you won't be still
contributing and you still haveto feel like I, you know, I can
still be a necessary asset tothis team.
And and I didn't.
She was kind of likequestioning that.
And then it was kind of likemaybe, maybe I do need to look
(16:08):
at where I'm at and and and I'mnot ready to have this.
When I was finishing up myrookie year, I got to do some of
the telethons like, and I waslike oh, I want, I want more of
this, I want you know.
And then, going in, going intomy second year, I got to do the
(16:28):
tours and that's why I reallydid my tour here.
When you go on those USO tours,it's life-changing.
Oh yeah, three and a half weeksof solid performance.
Your body is in such greatshape, the warm-up it's like,
well, my body's kind of stillwarm from you know, pop your
head a little bit, twist yourback and you're ready to go.
(16:50):
I wanted more of that, and Imean you're seeing parts of the
world and you're entertainingand you're seeing the troops
that give of their lives andyou're kind of like going into
third year.
That's why I returned.
I was like I want more of thiswe all have a special thing.
Tami Barber (17:11):
I mean, obviously we love the games, obviously,
but there's really a small partof everything that we do and you
know we did children'shospitals and nursing homes
that's my favorite yes, yes, and, and and, because that's where
(17:33):
you get to look in their eyesand see them you know the game
is just a mass of people thatyou, just you, stare up and
smile and you might catch an eye.
You might catch a person, butno, the tours, the special
appearances, uh charity events.
That's where you feel likeyou're really doing your cowboy
(17:54):
cheerleader work beyond thefield, beyond dallas.
Shannon Salter (17:59):
I like that.
Yeah, above and beyond, yeah,yeah, yes.
And you got to remember, tamm,you have the Super Bowl years.
I do.
You look on the record and Itold Maddie this how many times
I go, baby, if you're not goingto a Super Bowl, what are the
other years that they look andmake reference to, when they
(18:20):
were really kind of the worst?
And you look up 1989, they were1-15, you know, oh yeah, and so
it was like you know, we're notthere just to hopefully go to
the Super Bowl.
We're there for so much moreand the games are a big part of
it.
Winning or losing it didn'tmatter.
(18:42):
You were just thankful to bepart of that world and and you
knew it was going to be such ashort part of your life right,
well, and you know, yes, thegames.
Tami Barber (18:53):
But you know, as maddie referred, we don't go to
away games, that's true right soyou know, all we have is what
maybe well, I don't know whaty'all had, but we had maybe
seven home games.
We have 10, you have 10, okay,and next year they may be adding
more.
Madeline Salter (19:12):
I hear that is what I've heard as well, I don't
know.
Tami Barber (19:17):
Yes, we, we will not divulge that yet I would
want more, I know.
But I mean, you think aboutlike the 70s and us 80 girls.
We were on the field maybeseven times, but yet our lives
are full.
We're always busy.
It's almost like, ooh, thereisn't a game coming up.
(19:38):
Where are we going?
What are we doing?
Right, because we're a team.
Exactly, we are there for theCowboys, but we are a team with
our own itinerary.
And you look at the itinerarycoming up and you're like, oh
look, there's a game.
Madeline Salter (20:01):
We've got a game this weekend.
I need to go plan out myweekend.
I go tan.
I need to make sure yeah is myuniform clean.
I have enough tights in case.
You know.
Unfortunately I snappedsomething right.
Yeah, yeah, friday.
You dedicate friday saturdayfor that day.
(20:22):
But it's all worth it and it'sgreat planning.
Tami Barber (20:25):
You have to be such a planner.
Shannon Salter (20:28):
And the tunnel moments, ugh, I just oh, and
Tamm, her tunnel experience isdifferent from yours and mine.
You know we had Texas Stadium,the one big tunnel, one big
tunnel.
Tami Barber (20:46):
yes, there are tunnels everywhere.
Oh and yeah.
And then the side entrancesfrom DraftKings.
Shannon Salter (20:54):
Yeah, they're not one single line.
They're clumped together in thevisitor tunnel and and the
other tunnel.
I think you were in kelly'sthey actually say there's a elly
tunnel and there's the judytunnel oh fun.
Madeline Salter (21:09):
So the reason why they say that when we have
practice uh, for game day, so weget there you always have
practice before the actual game,so we run through pre-game uh,
pre-game, excuse me, pre-gameand um, Kelly's always on the
back of the field to watch thegirls from that point of view
(21:29):
and judy's always in the front.
And so my favorite part ofthunderstruck is when we turn
around to the back and becauseKelly's always right there and
I'm just like having the besttime and that's my chance,
especially when I was a rookie Iwas in the back row, easy to
find, easy to find.
(21:50):
That's my favorite part,because that was my time to be
front row.
I was front line because thatthe whole audience on that side,
that was my time to be frontrow.
I was front line because thatthe whole audience on that side,
that was my audience.
I was like all right for this.
What three second moment, I'mgonna give you a show.
Of course you give this showthe whole time, but no, I know
what you're saying.
Tami Barber (22:10):
You, you get it's a different perspective and and
it's funny because when you talkabout how we practice before
the game, you know we're therelike four days before the game.
It seems like I practice,practice, but it's when it's
empty.
There's nobody there except theworker bees, and you do turn
(22:34):
around, like for us we wouldturn around and it was either
Suzanne or taxi, and you justfeel like they're staring right
at me.
They're staring right at me,yep, right at me, and 35 other
girls are thinking.
She's staring right at me,she'll see it.
Shannon Salter (22:55):
They'll see it, she'll see it, yep.
Tami Barber (22:58):
Yep, but yes, the games are amazing, amazing.
And I will be honest, Shannon,when you talked about when the
team isn't doing as well, Iremember because I did get two
Super Bowls I remember thinkingI don't know if I'd want to be a
cheerleader if we didn't get togo to a Super Bowl.
Shannon Salter (23:19):
Well, very true, yeah.
But I also knew I was part ofan elite group and, no matter
how good or bad the Cowboys did,there were people that wanted
to see us.
You know, even for a CMT show,even before all the notoriety
that's come over the years, they, you know, when the game wasn't
(23:42):
doing very well, they were like, well, we, you know, we get to
watch the cheerleaders, we'recoming to see them.
And so you're like, okay, youknow a little different
perspective, but you're like,hey, you signed up for this.
Good or bad, winning or losing,you're there to cheer for the
cowboys.
So do it and do your best,whether we're athletes.
Tami Barber (24:03):
Uh, you don't win every game, that's true I love
that I love that okay, I wouldlove, I'm gonna don't win any
game
Madeline Salter (24:13):
No, I mean, I'll get on a knife and see the
Cowboys go.
Yea
Tami Barber (24:21):
And what's fun about being with the Cowboys is
they have a notoriety as well.
And when you're a rookie andyou've only seen you know like
for me it was Roger Staubach,you've only seen you know like
for me it was oger starbuck andall of a sudden I'm on a field
(24:43):
looking at you're not whoa, andthere's tom landry with his hat.
Oh, oh, oh yeah, and what youknow?
It wasn't even about me then,and uh, but and that so, so
addie's trying out, oh and oh.
And first I I forgot to saythat shannon and maddie are in
(25:05):
virginia right now.
You're right yes yeah, they'retraveling together to a family
wedding for the weekend.
How fun.
And that's the other thing thatI love about mother-daughters,
because that's a toughrelationship mother-daughters
(25:27):
Mom wants the very, very bestfor you.
Daughter thinks mom doesn'tknow anything.
I love the look.
And yet when you two are on thefield together at a reunion,
(25:50):
what, what is that?
Like, maddie, you know yourmom's on the field, your mom's
dancing somewhere on the field,are you even?
I mean, I know we're thinkingabout you, know you got to do
your thing and hit your mark andand not make a mistake.
Yeah, but you have to know thatshe's there on the field.
Madeline Salter (26:18):
That is so true .
So my first time doing thealumni halftime.
Well, growing up there wasnever a chance to do like
mother-daughter dancing.
It was either father-daughterdancing like they do for high
school and studios.
So growing up mom would tell mea lot of great stories going
(26:41):
with USO tours or practices.
And I saw that on the field,especially during practice when
we were in Highland Park and Isaw her having fun with her
girls and I was like, oh my gosh, I just saw my mom back when
she was a cheerleader.
It was like I was seeing aflashback.
(27:02):
I went.
That's because it's crazy whenpeople people ask me like is
your favorite cheerleader yourmom?
I never met her, I never seeher, I've never seen her dance.
Shannon Salter (27:13):
Uniform.
Madeline Salter (27:14):
Exactly, and so I remember looking over because
mom mom was in the front.
Good, job and you were closerto the 50.
Tami Barber (27:21):
Good job nobody knows how important that is oh,
yeah, you you, you work for it,go ahead.
Madeline Salter (27:30):
I'm I'm very spoiled.
I'm very thankful I don't moveout of the 45 to 50.
But I remember going oh my gosh, that's why she did it Because
you have like biological sisters, but those were your sisters.
You see them at practice, allday with practice.
Some of them were at yourwedding.
(27:52):
Some of them held me when I wasa baby.
Shannon Salter (27:58):
Oh yeah, that's a great story.
Madeline Salter (27:59):
And then also it's crazy just seeing like I've
seen VHS tapes of you guys ontour vlogging for the first time
.
My favorite is still the.
Shannon Salter (28:12):
Australia, yeah, is still the Australia.
Yeah, because, Tami, you haveto realize, Kelly, you know the
director there.
Now I view her as a formerteammate.
She's an alum I mean, Maddiesees her as that's my director,
that's my boss, and so we keepit that perspective.
Because it's, you know her, herrelationship with Kelly is
(28:37):
Kelly is different than mine,you know.
I mean, she was an alumni, wecheered together and we did
those tours together and youknow, Maddie, it's her director
and I like that.
That's a different perspective,but same person.
Tami Barber (28:55):
Right, right, I like that.
We're all still there.
Now tell me the story aboutDCC's holding Maddie as a baby.
Shannon Salter (29:08):
Okay, so there's an assistant.
That's part of theadministration.
Her name's Michelle Sharp,Sharpie.
Yes, yes, oh, I love her.
I cheered with sharpie, shecan.
I think she joined um.
My second year was her rookieyear.
Fast forward to Michele'swedding.
Okay, and I it had to have been.
(29:28):
Manny was born in 89, so shehad to have been married.
It was, oh, sorry you were notpregnant with me.
You're merging together.
It's 90, because I was invitedto the wedding.
But I didn't want Maddie to cryin a ceremony.
I was like, oh my God, if shestarts wailing during the
(29:51):
ceremony it's going to, I'mgoing to lose it, right, I'll be
walking out in the middle.
And so I brought her to thereception and Maddie was all in
her pretty cute little outfitand we don't have a photo, but
Michelle held Maddie in herwedding dress.
I mean, she looked Sharpie,looked stunning really that.
that neckline and and just shelooked elegant, she.
(30:13):
She held Maddie at her weddingreception.
Oh my God, never knowing howmany years later Maddie would be
working so close with Sharpieand we.
That happened with ShelleyBromhill, I mean Shelley Roper,
all these women that were thatare part of the administration
saw Maddie as a, as a newborn,as a toddler.
(30:36):
I mean they've seen her.
You know, like I said, in thoselittle bits of time when I let
Maddie kind of be part of theDCC.
Madeline Salter (30:47):
The wedding is another example I've met my best
friend because of DCC.
Oh yeah, that story too.
That makes me cry, because whenyou find your best friend, you
think like where have you beenall my life?
And it's because of DCC.
Her name is Dylan, so her mom.
(31:10):
I shared with mom what year wasPaula's year.
Shannon Salter (31:12):
Paula was 89.
And there was an alumniperformance I think it was the
breast cancer game, and wecarpooled and I remember you did
, paul and I threw, we put Dylanand Maddie in the back seat and
(31:33):
we drove from Austin up toDallas and, you know, and Paul
and I were kind of grinningbecause they're very close in
age and the only thing they haveconnected is their mother and
daughter.
I mean, their mothers were DCCtogether and Maddie and Dylan,
they just clicked, you know, aswe didn't even have to like, go
(31:56):
be nice.
You be nice to Dylan, okay,she's a nice girl, you go be
nice.
Didn't have to do that.
You be nice to Dylan Okay,she's a nice girl, you go be
nice.
Didn't have to do that.
They enjoyed the event theywere going to.
They didn't know what they weredoing, they just knew moms.
Our moms are, you know, formerDCC and they had a great time
and they started a friendshipthat's still lasting to this day
, oh For 10 years Dylan's not Adancer she's not in the DCC,
(32:21):
she's not a dancer.
She took a different path.
She did cheerleading and theyhave stayed friends and Dylan
keeps Maddie grounded.
We love that.
I love that it's a chance forthose two to, whenever they get
back together, to be in a worldthat's not DCC and they're
(32:45):
friends because they want to befriends, not because we made
them right, but but it is butthe only reason they met is
because of because of dcc ohyeah well, and it's funny
because the term best friend isso well.
Tami Barber (33:01):
First of all, bff is is totally overused.
But you have, um, likeeverything else in your life,
you have a place where somepeople live and you know they're
going to be there, and then youhave this group over here and,
especially as you get older andolder, you have more and more
and more, but like somebody,like dylan and Maddie, they will
(33:22):
always have that car, that roadtrip yes and as life goes on,
those are the things that stickout with me, with my friends.
Oh, do you, do you remember whenwe were seven and we did it?
You know that that's what formsyou and, uh, best friends can
(33:49):
come in all shapes and sizesyeah, you know, um, I I want to
kind of go back just for asecond.
Shannon Salter (33:59):
You were talking about when we were at the
alumni rehearsal and how Maddiewas.
You know how we're on the fieldtogether?
Oh, when we're at the highschool.
Yeah, yeah, one of the hardestthings to do is stop being the
dance mom and be the alumni.
Any, any, any mom that's intotheir kid, whether it be band.
(34:24):
You know cheerleading football,you know you're, you're there
to cheer your kid on and you'relike, oh my, you're all
consuming.
And you, you know, you want thebest for the team, you want the
best for your kid.
And when we do that alumnihalftime, I realized first time
I was like, okay, I cannot watchMaddie, I cannot be over there
going oh my God, she looks sogood and you know the alumni.
(34:47):
And then it's all sending.
You hear Judy's voice goingladies, ladies of the eighties,
you're next and I'm like, oh mygosh, what yard light.
Oh, wait, a minute.
I had to stop being the dancemom and be the alumni and go.
Okay, mental note, I have tonot watch Madeline.
I cannot, you know, watcheverything she's doing.
(35:07):
Stop being that dance mom, bethe alumni.
You signed up to do this.
Now pay attention.
Tami Barber (35:13):
I've never even thought about that because I
didn't have any children, so Idon't have to worry about
somebody else, and and I but Imean think of the years you know
that Maddie's been there.
That is your focus.
Shannon Salter (35:27):
Right and I never.
If you said, okay, you're goingto be an alumni and how many
you know, 20 something yearslater, write this script.
You're going to be on the fieldthe same time.
Your daughter is going to be onthe field and you're mere 10
yards away, so don't watch her.
You don't.
You've got.
How do you not?
How do you not?
It's 46 yard line.
(35:49):
You're on the second row, rightbehind Sharpie, and there's
Tina.
And okay, now don't watch yourdaughter, because you have a job
to do and it's fast, becauseit's the 80s Well but no, but
it's, it's's.
you're waiting on the sidelinebecause once the ladies of the
70s finished, we had to come out.
You have to not watch your kidyou have to turn that dance.
Tami Barber (36:12):
I don't know how you do that, because you've done
that since the day she was born.
That's where your heart, youreyes, your focus goes on that
child, yeah.
But then you sit there and thenyou have to put it all back and
and try and do and, and, asmuch as we love, love, our half
times they're nerve-wracking.
(36:33):
Yeah, they're fast and I I'm sonervous and I don't want to
make a mistake, and especiallynow, what have we got?
80,000 people that have acamera in their hands.
Shannon Salter (36:48):
Mm-hmm, I mean that's big, Over 93,000.
Yes, by the time halftimeeverybody's there.
People are in their seat andsitting down like a pregame and
you're like, wow, okay, this isa lot.
Tami Barber (37:05):
This is a lot yeah.
Shannon Salter (37:09):
When we did the alumni, we ran the flag out and
Maddie was signing.
.
Tami Barber (37:13):
Yes, oh, that's right.
Shannon Salter (37:16):
I was part of rolling the flag out and I was
like, oh my gosh, here again hada job to do and although she's
right behind the the, she's onthe other side of the flag and
she's signing the nationalanthem and I'm holding it.
I'm trying not to lose it,which is kind of hard.
I've got tears, I know, but itwas like you couldn't have
(37:40):
written that script.
You couldn't.
Hey, how do you know thatyou're going to be on the field
holding the flag during thenational anthem, your daughter's
signing it?
You know, for american signlanguage, write that script out.
Tami Barber (37:53):
See how that's gonna, you know right and I want
to, I want to make sureeverybody heard Madeline signs,
the national anthem, every homegame.
He's standing there in herDallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
uniform and she is so beautifuland so low, just fluid, just a
(38:19):
beautiful.
Yeah, I and, and I have acouple of deaf friends.
So when I found out that Maddiewas doing this and that this
was part of her job, it just hitme in a special place in my
heart, because I have friendsthat are deaf and you don't know
(38:43):
how important that is to themand it's a gift, it is, and they
I mean they- they know what'sgoing, what's being, but going
on at that part of the pre-game.
Shannon Salter (38:57):
But they're being representative, you know
they're being acknowledged.
Hey, this is what's going on.
We don't have somebody singing,we have a trumpeteer, freddie
jones company, by madelinesalter, and it's all yes, and
and it's representative,represented, and of course you
know a dcc's doing it and thatwas the best part.
Tami Barber (39:18):
that's the best part, it's not.
It's like oh, who's in thenational anthem?
It's always somebody new.
It's always this, it's alwaysthat.
No, this is what the DallasCowboys present to you.
One of our own is including you, and that's see.
I get goosebumps just thinkingabout that.
Shannon Salter (39:37):
Oh, I know, Every time when I hear a name,
you'll hear I'm standing upvideotaping it's like this with
your iPad.
Tami Barber (39:45):
Pay attention, I know, Shannon, I would think
that would be very difficult.
You have to remember yourroutine, your yard line, who
you're next to.
Watch to your right, watch toyour left and front and back.
Remember this and my daughter'sover there.
That would be so much.
(40:07):
That's too much for my brainbut.
Shannon Salter (40:09):
but I mean we're , we're.
I mean for the first time whereI'm like maddie, we're going to
rehearsal together.
Your rehearsal is a lot harderthan mine, but you know, when
we're doing that Saturdayrehearsal in Highland Park, we
drive together and I'm like I'mgoing to rehearsal, I'm going to
(40:30):
practice with her, I've got mypartners, the girl she's
practicing with, I'm having mine.
Even just the rehearsal aspectof it was a blast.
Tami Barber (40:42):
It is, I uh, the highlights of the reunion
weekend.
one of them is rehearsal day.
I mean, obviously we're alittle more casual and out of
control, and a lot of screamingand seeing each other, um, and,
and, poor Judy and Kelly, it'slike rein us in how, how, and
(41:06):
and then you've got Brooke,who's in charge of all the uh,
the, the grown-ups that don'twant to pay attention because
it's just, it's so much and itgoes so.
And then all of a sudden we'releaving again and can't wait
Next year?
Shannon Salter (41:28):
Did we perform good enough that Kelly and Judy
want to go through that all overagain?
You know, because we keepgetting more alumni keep showing
up.
Right, we have a bigger showingshowing.
Bigger and better showing.
Tami Barber (41:43):
Yes, corralling feral cats has to be an anxiety
weekend for all involved that'sfunny.
Shannon Salter (41:52):
Yeah, keep it, look, keep.
Tami Barber (41:54):
Oh, my gosh, that is wonderful well, I have
enjoyed this so very much.
Is there anything else you wantto share or you thought of that
you want to go back to, becauseI love this?
I mean, I just mother-daughterthings to me are very special.
Madeline Salter (42:15):
I do I do Okay, it was the first time I
remember anything DCC in my life.
It was when Texas Stadium wascoming down.
Oh, I know, I know, I didn'tmean to break both of you guys'
hearts.
Shannon Salter (42:34):
I told you I took her to things that weren't
always, you know, glitz andglamour.
This was another.
Madeline Salter (42:40):
I didn't mean to break both of you guys'
hearts but I mean I was eightand I remember all right, we
have to get up early.
We got to get to Irving becausewe lived at Carrollton at the
time and it was just a funtailgate party in the beginning,
just enjoying everyone'scompany, and I think I got to
(43:00):
meet more and more alumni justenjoying everyone's company and
I think I got to meet more andmore alumni.
And then Sunrise came aroundand I remember holding your pink
.
You were busy, you were withyour alumni sisters, but I
remember I held your pink Razorphone and I was recording it and
I remember looking over and youguys were in tears and I like
(43:22):
it was horrible why is momcrying.
Why is mom crying?
And as I got older I went oh mygosh, that was our second home,
that was your guys home.
And I can't imagine, especiallywith my two best friend rookie
sisters, katie and Kelly, whenwe get older and if it's you
know, on to a new stadium andgoodbye to AT&T it's gonna, it's
(43:45):
gonna feel the same.
It's gonna feel the same, yeah,yeah, of course, with other um,
like getting my ring for thefirst time or taking the field
for this first time.
We share similar um feelings.
But that moment of uh,vulnerability when I saw at a
very young age, I went look atthem, holding onto each other.
Yeah, look at them.
And that's why I lean so muchon not only my rookie sisters,
(44:10):
but my leader, both of myleaders this year, claire and
Danny.
So what we do for coming up on agame week, we would film at
practice and then we would sendthem to each other and be like
all right, what do we need towork on?
I would screenshot something Ineed to work on and I would send
it to Claire.
(44:30):
And it's always when my hair isgoing crazy Because at least
you're watching and I'm proud.
The reason why I say this?
Because I remember we weretalking about the little moments
that not everyone sees.
It takes.
Everyone think oh, pixie, doesthey just show up and then they
disappear and they'll be herenext week.
It's those little moments.
Tami Barber (44:50):
And they are.
That's what.
That's what you take away fromit.
And I love that Maddie doesn'thave to go turn in a uniform and
walk away and have it all goaway.
She's got another yes,hopefully a uniform and walk
away and have it all go away.
She's got another yes,hopefully, place to go.
That's what I love, and loveabout brooke, because she said
(45:10):
that was brooke's.
Uh, quote from brooke was doesdoesn't everybody feel this way,
how I was such a part of thislarge thing and did all this
stuff and now I'm just gonnawalk away we don't have to walk
away anymore right
Shannon Salter (45:27):
absolutely and well, and I think, when you know
, closing comments, I think whatI guess I would want to kind of
convey is, um, themother-daughter relationship.
You know, um, yes, Maddie and Ihave this beautiful thing
between us, but, um, I, I neverrealized.
(45:50):
I mean, I come, I have threeolder sisters and our mom, of
course, I never thought I wasgoing to have this kind of a
relationship with my daughter.
Yes, it's people just well,because she's a legacy, you know
, oh, it's, it's a wonderfulmother daughter.
Um, I truly love like talkingto her.
I mean she calls me, I mean,what, how you see our
(46:14):
relationship when people see iton the field or or, you know,
outside the DCC world.
I mean we truly have.
She talks to me every day.
You know, I'll be shopping andI'm trying and I see this cute
outfit, and I've gotten to thepoint now where I'm like, don't
you?
like this Because that sets herup and it sets me up for
(46:35):
rejection.
Well, what if you know she'sgoing to say she likes it, just
because mom wants to buy it forher?
Madeline Salter (46:44):
I'll text her thoughts, and sometimes it's an
outfit that she's like oh no,thank you, I'm like no ma'am.
Shannon Salter (46:47):
No, thank you.
Thank you, and I don't takeoffense.
It's a way of shopping withouther being there and sometimes I
hit the mark and she's like, oh,mom, I love it.
We.
It's an understanding between amother and daughter where I'm
not taking things constantlypersonally, you know, or she has
, you know.
You know why, doesn't she?
(47:08):
I'm her mom.
She should like everything Isuggest and you know, mother
knows better and best, I know,but I mean so it's I just.
I like our relationship becausewhat you see is what it is.
I like our relationship becausewhat you see is what it is.
It's not like we put onsomething fake just because
(47:29):
she's a legacy and I used to bea cheerleader.
What you see is what ourrelationship is?
Tami Barber (47:32):
Oh, definitely, definitely.
Shannon Salter (47:36):
I see that in you too.
Tami Barber (47:39):
It's not all like I think one of my favorite things
was getting to know both of youover the past couple years is I
don't see, when I talk to justShannon, I see Shannon.
Then Maddie comes into thepicture.
I still see Shannon.
Shannon doesn't become somebodyelse because Maddie's standing
(48:02):
there now.
And when Maddie and I are justtalking and we're being goofy
and I have a picture with you,with your hood on, sitting right
next to me, yes, but your momwalks up and we're still goofy,
(48:24):
there's no performance when it'sjust us.
I don't see that.
You see it in some people where, oh, my mom's here or, okay, my
daughter's here, I'm going toact this way.
No, what you see is what youget, no matter what.
just because we're on thefield for five minutes once a
(48:48):
year and I'm, and and our brainsaren't really on the field, um,
or there's cameras in front ofus and somebody's doing an
interview.
Shannon Salter (48:58):
Um, oh yeah, you know, there we're not just
putting on show because I know Ithink the public could, they
could recognize, they could readthrough it and go.
Well, that that doesn't seem,that doesn't sound right, you
know exactly.
Tami Barber (49:13):
No, we are, and I just I want to let all of you
know that this has been a veryspecial treat for me, because I
I'm getting to know the mothersand the daughters in a different
light, but since I know both ofthese ladies, I see you, I see
(49:34):
the girls that I love and I seewhenever we're together and I
just want to thank you both, andI just want to thank you both
um, first of all, everybody whenthis comes out.
Send that positive energy to.
Maddie for her fourth yeartryout because it is not
(49:54):
guaranteed there are many womenwho will tell you they went back
to try out for their second,third, fourth year of NFL
cheerleading and that they weresent home.
Um, of course that's not gonnahappen to our Maddie, but for us
, then we never send the lovesend the love.
(50:16):
Send the love to Maddie,because she's got some, some
real tough competition, andthat's what I love is that
anybody who comes back knowsthat and doesn't assume that
you're already back.
And happy Mother's Day, Shannon.
(50:39):
Thank you, you girls have awonderful weekend on the East
Coast.
Madeline Salter (50:46):
And Tami from the current DCC, Happy Mother's
Day.
Tami Barber (50:52):
Thank you.
I know you're all my daughters.
Madeline Salter (50:55):
I was like, I mean if I know the story about
the pig tails, but I'm likethat's my thing If I could have
met you in uniform.
Shannon Salter (51:12):
oh, my gosh I would have just melted.
Madeline Salter (51:13):
I mean, I would have loved to too, but I'm like
mean damn.
Shannon Salter (51:18):
Yeah, I mean, those ponytails are an icon and
that's what when we talk about.
You know, alumni is is like hermom's.
That's how she views you guys.
You know that.
And so on a Monday, it's veryjust because you don't have a
daughter.
This is like having a daughterand she'll.
Tami Barber (51:36):
I love and and it usually happens on Saturday at
that rehearsal, current girlscome up.
I tried out because of you.
I tried out because of the 70sgirls.
I tried.
You know we are the smallestgroup, obviously, and it's just.
(51:57):
You guys have no idea.
I mean, even the 80s and the90s will come up and tell us
that they tried out because ofus and it means the world to us.
It means we did our job, wecreated something other people
want to become.
Of course my camera is doingthat, because my cat is rubbing
(52:19):
her face on the corner of my carI was wondering what that was.
And and I know 90s girls willsay to the 80s girls I tried out
because of you.
That is so amazing to hear.
I don't think.
(52:39):
I think people take things likethat for granted, but we don't.
Shannon Salter (52:45):
Or maybe think that the different decades don't
express that, they don't go andsay, hey, you know what?
You may not know it, but youmade a difference in my road to
DCC.
Yeah, we don't always put workthoughts to words and go.
I saw Tami in those ponytailsand I thought through it and I
(53:06):
saw myself in that uniform, andor I got to speak to that alumni
for a few minutes and itmotivated me to try out again.
And this time I don't thinkpeople realize that those
stories are shared and they turnout to be incredibly positive
for that girl that keeps tryingand does make the team.
Tami Barber (53:29):
Yeah, so, anyways.
So, and happy Mother's Day toall the moms out there.
Madeline Salter (53:35):
Thank you.
Tami Barber (53:35):
Maddie.
Thank you, Shannon.
Have a wonderful weekend andwe'll be right back.
I want to thank Shannon andMadeline for taking time to
visit with me while they were ontheir weekend away.
Didn't you just love the storyabout Michelle Sharp holding
(53:59):
Madeline at her wedding so cute.
Seeing through their eyes madeit very special to know that
the legacy lives on.
And don't forget, send thatextra love as Madeline tries out
for next year's squad.
There are more cheerleadersfrom around the US, more stories
and more secrets if you tune into Sideline Legends in their
(54:25):
own words Subscribe, share andreach out if you have any
questions.
You can also join the Facebookgroup and if I can get my poop
in a group yeah, that's a saying.
I'm launching the website thisweek.
It's going to be full of photos, videos, stories and more from
(54:48):
our NFL alumni.
Check out the Facebook groupfor that announcement.
Talk to you soon.
You're my people.
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