Perth's very own Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, Faith Ward, has made her television series debut in the third season of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, now streaming on Netflix. Fans of the popular documentary series eagerly awaited the new season, which offers an inside look at the recruitment process for the 2025 cheerleading squad of America's most iconic football team, highlighting the competitive auditions and challenges faced by rookies.
Faith Ward's Journey to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
The Wellington-born dancer's path as a rookie is featured prominently, as Ward becomes the first New Zealander to earn a spot on the famous team and the third Australian, following Angela Nicotera Brown and Jinelle Esther. The 23-year-old secured her place after a demanding audition and a month-long training camp overseen by team director Kelli Finglass and choreographer Judy Trammel.
In a promotional video shared by Netflix on Instagram, Ward introduces herself to the judging panel, who later describe her as "phenomenal." She says, "Hi everyone, my name is Faith. I'm 22 and originally from Wellington, New Zealand, but as you can tell I've lost my accent because I live in Perth, Australia. I'd never get anything like this in Australia; these opportunities don't come. You see it all over social media: who doesn't want to be a Cowboys cheerleader? I was always like I'd love to do that. So we're reaching past the stars now, but it's worth a hot shot, isn't it?"
Watch Party and Community Support
Ward's family and friends were among the first to relive her rookie season at a private watch party hosted by Crown Perth on Tuesday afternoon. Attendees included friend and model Brooklyn Metropolis, along with the team behind Olivia and Grace Giftware, who have collaborated with Ward and her affection for the soft toy brand Jellycat. The suite at Crown Towers was decorated with blue and white balloons, large posters of Ward's DCC headshot, and cutouts of her face, complemented by popcorn and a DCC-themed, star-shaped cake. Ward joined via video call to thank her Perth supporters for their unwavering encouragement.
Industry and Fan Reactions
Following the season three release, Ward's management company Amplify officially welcomed "America's newest sweetheart." They posted on Instagram, "We couldn't be more proud of our ponytail queen and everything she has achieved." Ellise Richards, owner of Perth eyebrow bar Bambii B, where Ward gets her eyebrows done, also expressed excitement, projecting episodes onto a wall in her salon for a watch party. Perth dancer and digital creator Caitlin Cummins shared that she was "screaming and crying" over Ward's Netflix appearance, saying she was "proud of you always, but more than ever now."
NFL Australia and New Zealand also showed support, describing Ward as "the moment," while Netflix Australia and New Zealand noted, "Aussie/Kiwi accent represent." Influencer Sopha Dopha commented, "That's our girl," and TikTokker and acrobat Sam Rybka of The Rybka Twins said Ward was "doing Perth dancers proud." Fellow DCC members Charly Barby, Parker Kilpatrick, Brenley Herrera, and Michelle Siemienowski also expressed their love for their Australian friend. One Instagram user remarked, "There are just certain people that are born to dance. Faith is one of them," while another added, "The season Perth has been waiting for."
A Dream Realized
Ward's dream came true in July last year when she was selected along with five other rookies to join 30 veterans on the sidelines. She said at the time, "I'm just so incredibly grateful to be in this position and feeling like everything that I've done and trained for is paid off. It feels a little bit like a dream, if I'm being 100 per cent honest, and I'm just so excited." The recruitment process for the 2026 squad is currently underway.
