Chiefs Cheerleader and eighth year veteran, Krystal, will be representing the Chiefs organization at the 2015 Pro Bowl.
Krystal is a software architect for a healthcare IT company and is a graduate of the University of Richmond. She grew up in El Paso, TX and both of her parents were in the military.
"I couldn't be more excited and proud that Krystal will be representing the Chiefs and the Chiefs Cheerleaders at the Pro Bowl," Stephanie Judah, Chiefs Cheerleader Director, said. "She is the true definition of hard work and heart on this team. She is going to have the time of her life and she deserves it."
After the announcement was made, I spoke with her about her reaction to the surprise, her experience as a Chiefs Cheerleader and her future trip to the Pro Bowl.
Kansas City Chiefs Cheerleader Krystal
R: Tell me about you experience as a Chiefs Cheerleader.
K: My experience as a Chiefs Cheerleader has been enriching and eye opening. I have learned and experienced so much over the past eight seasons; ranging from being a positive role model for our community youth to hanging out and cheering on our fans to traveling around the globe, visiting with our military stationed aboard. I feel all these experiences and life lessons has enriched and helped shape me into the woman I am today. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to be a professional NFL cheerleader or be a part of a phenomenal organization who truly believes in their team, fans, and community. At times, I feel this is all a surreal dream that I don't want to wake up from.
R: Did you ever dream you would be cheering at the Pro Bowl one day?
K: No! I am still in disbelief. Never in my wildest dream did I ever expect to one day represent the Chiefs at Pro Bowl. Being selected for Pro Bowl is such an honor because it means that my fellow teammates believed in me to represent our squad and the Chiefs organization as a professional with character, class and passion.
R: How did you find out you were selected to go to the Pro Bowl? And what was your reaction?
K: I found out at the Chiefs vs. Raiders game during the two minute warning in the first half after our full squad routine. The Chiefs staff told us to form a semi-circle immediately after we were done performing. As a vet, you immediately know what is about to happen. As we line up in our semi-circle and they begin to call out the Pro Bowl nominees, I was so happy for the girls being recognized that I almost missed my name. I'm very proud of all of the Pro Bowl nominees that I got to stand next to. After they announced the top 5, I suddenly hear the announcer say my name but it was like a dream. The next thing I know, I see Summer, my teammate, rush over to me and I'm just standing in disbelief, eyes welling with tears of joy. Then I am engulfed by my teammates and I lose it, buckets of tears stream down my face.
R: What are you most looking forward to about this trip?
K: Meeting each of the cheerleader Pro Bowl representatives! I'm looking forward to getting to know each of the girls and hearing about their programs and cheering next to them.
R: What is some of the advice you've received from your teammates or coaches who have also traveled to the Pro Bowl?
K: To be myself, enjoy every minute, take lots of pictures, invest in the other cheerleaders and fans.
* R: What does it mean to you to be selected and to represent the Chiefs?*
K : Being selected to represent the Chiefs at Pro Bowl is a great honor, which I will cherish forever. To be selected tells me that my team believes in me to represent them and this organization. Each of my teammates are exceptional cheerleaders, who can easily represent our team at Pro Bowl, however, the mere thought that they wanted me to represent them is a great honor. To represent the Chiefs is the biggest honor because I get to spread my love for the Chiefs around the Arizona community and grow our Chiefs Kingdom by showing the community how great our fans are, our team, and our organization!