HC: Year in school?
Caitlin: Freshman
HC: Hometown?
Caitlin: Omaha Nebraska
HC: Major?
Caitlin: Pre-Nursing
HC: Have you always been a dancer/cheerleader? How long?
Caitlin: I have danced since the age of two! I got into competitive dancing when I was in fourth grade and loved it. I competed on the Nebraska Dance Company from fourth grade up until my senior year. I also danced on my high school dance team at Skutt Catholic High School for four years.
HC: What made you choose to come to UNL?
Caitlin: I chose UNL because it was the perfect distance away from home; it was not too far and not too close to Omaha. I have also been a huge Husker fan since I was little, so I wanted to be apart of Husker Nation and get the experience of going to a school with such an incredible athletic departmentJ. I didn’t want to stop dancing, so I was looking for a school with a dance team. I wanted the big university feeling, where I could go to the football games, be apart of the Greek life, be offered varieties of classes, and be apart of several clubs. I like putting myself out there and getting involved, and UNL seemed to have everything that I dreamed of!
HC: Did you ever imagine or hope you’d be a Scarlet one day?
Caitlin: Ever since I was a little girl my dad took me to the Husker games and I could never pay attention to the game at such a young age. My eye would immediately notice the cheerleaders and dancers in their sparkly uniforms and pom poms. I have always wanted to be a Scarlet, it was my lifelong dream. I wanted to dance on the field and shake sparkly poms! As I got older, I went to the games and actually watched and understood what was going on. My dream of becoming a Scarlet also got bigger and bigger and I was determined to be one!
HC: How did you become a Scarlet?
Caitlin: There is a tryout process in the Spring where anyone can tryout that is ,or will be, attending UNL.
HC: What were tryouts like? What was the process and everything involved?
Caitlin: Tryouts were extremely intense and difficult! During the first portion of tryouts, we were evaluated on our technique. If we made the first cut, then we had to learn three routines and two sidelines. After hours of being taught, we had to show the panel of judges those routines. Then the judges made the second cut, which were the finalists. After that cut, we had to run a two mile with a goal time of 18 minutes. The next day all of the finalists were invited back to take a sports knowledge quiz, and an interview with the judges. Finally, we had to show the three routines and two sidelines we learned from the previous day for the last time. Then the judges made their final decision about who would be on the team for the upcoming year.
HC: What is it like being a Scarlet (day to day obligations)?
Caitlin: I have many obligations as a Scarlet! We have practice on Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings that are mandatory. Groups of us make appearances at least once a week. These appearances could be at a hospital, an elementary school, a radio station, a pep rally etc. They are extremely fun and it is amazing to meet so many die-hard Husker fans. On football game days we must meet four hours prior to make appearances also. We go to tailgates, Husker pavilion, or Champions club, where we get the crowd excited and meet more fans. About 40 minutes before the game starts, we perform a dance on the sideline. On basketball game days, we must meet an hour and a half early to get ready and prepare for our half time dance and sidelines. We are expected to dance at all of the home football games, and small groups travel to away games. For basketball, we are split up into two groups, and between the two groups we are able to cover all basketball games! For the tournaments that are away games, small groups of about 4 to 5 girls get to travel.
HC: What would you say to someone in high school who is a dancer and possibly wants to keep dancing in college?
Caitlin: I would tell the dancer to prepare for tryouts ahead of time and continue to work hard in their dance classes and on their teams. Their hard work and dedication will pay off if they decide to tryout for a college dance team. They will feel prepared and less nervous during the tryout process.
HC: How has being a Scarlet impacted your college experiences?
Caitlin: Being a Scarlet has truly impacted my college experience. I wouldn’t want my college experience to be lived in any other way! It is a very time consuming job, demands a lot of my time and energy, and can be extremely stressful trying to juggle so many things on my plate. But it is above all, so worth it. I love that I am able to continue to dance every day; dance makes me who I am today. I can’t describe the feeling I get on the field or the court. It is truly amazing being able to share part of myself with a crowd of people. And when I am with my teammates, I have realized that we are all there for common goal; that goal being we want to represent the school in the best way possible by giving our spirit and support to the players and the rest of the school. We get to be apart of a tradition that is so much bigger then ourselves. I am truly lucky to be apart of this team.
HC: Do you guys perform in a lot of competitions on the weekends?
Caitlin: Currently, the Scarlets do not compete. My coach is hopeful that we would get to showcase our ability as a team at national competition in the near future.
HC: What else is involved with being a Scarlet besides being on the sidelines at football games?
Caitlin: It’s not just about doing sideline routines at the games. It is so much more. We are apart of the fan experience, we are able to get the crowd involved in our cheers and excited about the game. We are there to support the athletic department, and do everything we can that will help motivate and support the teams. This team does not dance for ourselves or for making us look good. We are trying to carry on a tradition and the reputation that Nebraska holds. The most rewarding part of being on this team is when a fan acknowledges us and thanks us for supporting our team, no matter if are winning or losing. I love when the little kids come up to us, too. I feel like I am doing something fulfilling and purposeful when a little girl tells me I’m her role model. This team has only made me more gracious to the devoted fans as well as humbled.
HC: Would you compare being a Scarlet to being on the dance team in high school? Or is it completely different?
Caitlin: Dance team is high school was extremely fun and when we danced, we danced for each other. We danced and worked hard so that we could win at state and look good on the field or court. It is extremely different because now I dance on a team that dances for a crowd and for a team. We dance for something that is so much bigger than ourselves.
HC: How would you describe being a Scarlet in three words?
Caitlin: Teamwork, dedication, and loyalty.