Sage Cifaloglio, a pre-junior business administration major, says she's found the perfect part-time job while working her way through Drexel—a job that consists of cheering for a National Football League (NFL) team in front of 70,000 Philadelphia fans on Sundays.
Cifaloglio was one of eight “rookies” in a squad of 38 to make the 2012 Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleading Squad. She beat out hundreds of girls who auditioned and was one of 60 finalists chosen throughout the lengthy process. In the final round, Cifaloglio was judged based on beauty, a dance performance and an interview question by a panel that included former Eagles players before she was offered a coveted position on the squad last month.
“There were about six auditions to go through so honestly I was just excited to make it to the final round,” says Cifaloglio, who dialed into a hotline the day after the final audition to hear if her number was on the list of girls that earned a spot.
She’s already traveled to Nassau, Bahamas this month for a weekend calendar photo-shoot and will start practice with the team two days a week under director Barabara Zaun this June. The Eagles cheerleading squad dances at all home games during the preseason, regular season and playoffs at Lincoln Financial Field.
And Cifaloglio is no stranger to dance. She put on her first pair of dancing shoes when she was just two years old.
“My favorite thing about being a dancer is performing for people. They look at your enthusiasm and look to you to pump up the crowd,” says Cifaloglio, a native Philadelphia Eagles fan. “I thought the crowds at Drexel basketball games were big so this is going to be really exciting.”
Her many years in the studio have also taught her more than the art of dance—including vital time management skills.
“Dance has taught me how to be on time, manage my time, and balance my schedule,” says Cifaloglio, who will be juggling this part time job, classes and her secretary duties in Phi Mu sorority this year. “I’m going to look at this as a college job and go about it the same way I balanced my schedule while dancing for the Drexel Dance Team. This just happens to be for a professional NFL team.”
Many members of the Eagles cheerleading squad balance a job and or class, according to Cifaloglio, who is currently on her second co-op at Tarte Cosmetics in New York City. She’s looking to go to graduate school post-graduation or stay in the Philadelphia area and work in marketing. Above all else, she’s taking her parents advice and staying true to herself during her journey as an Eagles cheerleader.
--Stephanie Takach