⭐ Kelli Finglass

One thing I loved about season 1 of the Netflix series was watching DCC Director Kelli McGonagill Finglass. Born in 1964, Finglass is a true icon of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders legacy. She first made her mark on the squad as a cheerleader from 1984 to 1989, earning the rare distinction of being the first cheerleader invited back without reauditioning. Since then, she’s spent more than three decades shaping the DCC brand from the inside out, becoming director of the squad in 1991. Under her leadership, the cheerleaders evolved into a global entertainment and business phenomenon, bolstered by television success and cultural relevance.

For Gen Xers who remember the glitz of the the 1980s or watched Making the Team in the 2000s, Kelli represents a rare blend of tradition, toughness, and transformation in the ever-evolving world of American pop culture.

Kelli graduated from Lindale High School in 1983, where she was a three-year drum majorette, Homecoming Queen, and voted Most Likely to Succeed. My daughter Bridgette is a competitive baton twirler, so I loved learning that Kelli grew up twirling, too. It gave me a connection I didn’t expect. I also attended junior high in Gilmer, Texas, just 35 miles from Lindale. Gilmer is home to one of the longest-running festivals in the state: the East Texas Yamboree. In 1982, Kelli ran for Yam Queen. Knowing she grew up in East Texas, a place that shaped so many of my own hopes and dreams, made her feel kind of familiar to me. That world taught girls to show up, speak up, and carry themselves with purpose. That’s exactly what Kelli’s been doing her whole life. I admire her and can’t wait to watch her shine in Season 2.