NRL star's daughter unveils huge move
Indianna Carroll, who has cheered for the Manly Sea Eagles' Seabirds for 10 years, has made it to the third round of the NFL's Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders try outs.
She will now compete against 64 others and is set to find out if she has progressed on July 14 after an intense four week training camp where she will learn the team's choreography.
She has come far — with as many as 4000 women applying for just 10 open spots this year. Overall, there are 36 spots on the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, which was the subject of an incredibly popular Netflix series that debuted in 2024.
Ms Carroll, who is the daughter of former NRL player Mark and of Seabirds cheerleading director Monique, left for training camp on Monday and revealed she has 'put her life on hold' to achieve her dream.
'Dallas cheerleaders are the epitome of cheerleading in the world,' Ms Carroll told The Daily Telegraph.
'I have been in a cheerleading outfit with pompoms since I was one year old. It's part of who I am.'
It's the third time that Ms Carroll has auditioned, getting to the same place in the try outs last year before being cut. She said she's needed to be mentally and physically strong to not only cope with missing out previously, but in order to push herself to keep going.
The young cheerleader said getting as far as she has done has been 'surreal' and she knows it will be 'hectic' in the coming weeks. Ms Carroll said she loves cheerleading, and the NFL team's squad bring a certain kind of sparkle, adding it would be a dream come true to be part of the squad.
'When you love something so passionately, the most sensible thing to do is follow your heart. It's such a burning desire for me. I can't let it rest until I give it a good go. At the end of the day you just have to back yourself and Dallas is the most iconic NFL organisation, for sure,' she said.
Ms Carroll, who also works for Zimmerman, said getting to this stage 'felt right', and both her parents have expressed how proud of her they are.
Last year, after not making the cut, Ms Carroll penned a lengthy letter to Instagram, saying the experience was 'unforgettable and insightful'.
'While my path ended here this season, I am unhesitatingly thankful for the lessons this has taught me and continues to. Without a little bit of darkness, I'd never see the stars so I will continue to live for the hope of it all,' she shared.
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