Redskins Nation,
Even before becoming a First Lady of Football, the Washington Redskins were a major part of my life. From home games at RFK Stadium, to birthday parties planned around the season, to cheering our team on to victory in Minneapolis during Super Bowl XXVI, this team was a part of me. It always has been and always will be.
For the first two years, as a Cheerleader Ambassador, I watched the Cheerleaders in awe and soaked in everything I could to learn what it takes to make it on to the field. I learned a lot from watching and especially by listening to and taking advice from the WRCA director, Vihky Smith. Miss Vihky, thank you for your constant support and words of wisdom. Without the opportunities you gave me from making the team to having leadership, being a WRC may never have become a reality.
The last four years have been everything I expected and then some. It started with hearing my name and number called at the final audition in 2011. My dream had come true! I was about to do something I had dreamed of since I was a burgundy and gold wearing, HTTR singing little girl! Not only was I about to cheer on my hometown team from the field, but I was starting a journey with a group of women that would grow to be my sisters and best friends. The opportunities I was given over the last 4 years are unforgettable- meeting fans at promos, teaching dance to kids, and being a part of so many great organizations and events-Walking With Anthony, United Fantasy Flight, Redskins Charitable Organization- just to name a few! The opportunities I was given that will forever stand out the most were the ones being able to give back to our military. It seems silly that our service men and women were so excited to see a group of cheerleaders when they're the ones putting their lives on the line for us each and every day. Having the opportunity to put a smile on their faces is what it was all for. Thank you Donald Wells, former WRC director, for the opportunity to travel to Djibouti and spend several days with our amazing service men and women. Visiting the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and getting to work with Wounded Warriors and Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon are also unforgettable experiences. Most importantly, thank you to our men and women, past and present, who are protecting this great nation of ours day in and day out!
Jamilla Keene, you truly are an icon in the professional cheerleading world. Your humility and leadership are the two qualities I have tried to and will continue to try to mirror. I hope I have made you proud! Those were big boots to fill!!!
All of this would have never been possible without the leadership and guidance of our WRC Director, Stephanie Jojokian. Stephanie, thank you is not nearly enough to tell you what the last 4 years have meant to me. For those of you who don't know, Stephanie balances so many plates in life- wife, mother, student, CMI owner/director, WRC director and so much more. She does each job 100% and is such an amazing role model for each member of this team. I can only hope to find an opportunity that allows me to run a team the way she has the WRC. Thank you for giving me the honor to be a captain for two seasons! Knowing you trusted me with this role means the world to me and I hope I accomplished what you were hoping for. Thank you for four amazing seasons, Stephanie!
To Mike, my family, and my friends - thank you. Thank you for your love and support over the years I spent auditioning and being on the team. You understood my schedule and my passion for this team. You accepted my absence knowing I was fulfilling a lifelong dream and for that, I thank each one of you.
To my WRC sisters, alumni, current, and future, this is an organization that deserves to be honored and protected by each of us. I'm elated to become a member of the largest cheerleading alumni association in the nation and support the WRC in a different way. I'm proud of each woman I got to share the field with and excited to see the traditions upheld on and off the field!
Fans, as you can guess, this is the end of a journey for me. My days cheering on the field are over, but no matter where I am, I will always be cheering on the best team in the league! I will never forget the feelings each of you were a part of from my very first game as a rookie to my last farewell game. From running out of the helmet, singing The National Anthem along with you, getting kick-off started with "Start Me Up", and of course, performing Hail to the Redskins while each of you sang the words we all know so well; these memories are forever engrained in me.
Family, Friends, Teammates, Directors, Alumni, Redskins Management, and Fans- Thank you for every moment each of you were a part of these past 6 years! HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!
Love, yours truly, once and always,
Brianne
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