ROCHESTER, New Hampshire — There are now nine male cheerleaders in the NFL, including a dancer from Rochester, New Hampshire.
Kyle Tanguay grew up cheering and dancing. He's now a senior at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, majoring in dance. When his roommate decided to audition for the city's NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles, Tanguay also signed up.
"It was a about a two-month process and we had open call. There was over 300 people who showed up who would be considered rookies, they took nine," Tanguay said.
During the final audition show on April 29, Tanguay found out he made the cheer team. He's the ninth male cheerleader to join the NFL. A group of men who have become close, despite their different teams.
"We're connected everyday," Tanguay said. "We're talking about our experiences, sharing everything just to kind of stay in touch. Nine is not a lot given the amount of NFL cheerleaders who are taking the field every season."
The 21-year-old will have a busy schedule balancing his senior year of college, cheer practices and football games. All worth it, in his opinion. He's happy with the team's decision to add him to the roster and the positive response he's received from Eagles fans.
"Right now I'm just trying to keep that role model idea in my head to keep people excited about this decision that the Eagles have made," Tanguay said.
The Eagles' first game is scheduled for Aug. 8 against the Titans. They also play the New England Patriots in Philadelphia Nov. 17 during the regular season.