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It's Not About the Pom-Poms: How a 40-Year-Old Mom Became the NFL's Oldest Cheerleader--and Found Hope, Joy, and Inspiration Along the Way Audiobook
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(3.06) - 67 listener ratings
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A forty-year-old cheerleader? When Laura Vikmanis, a single mom in Ohio, told friends that she wanted to be an NFL cheerleader, they said it would never happen. But she proved them all wrong. . . . Laura Vikmanis has got spirit . . . and pom-poms, too! But before she stepped onto the field as the oldest cheerleader in the National Football League, she was sidelined by a bad marriage and the many responsibilities of stay-at-home motherhood. She finally got the courage to leave her husband and to ask herself something she had never asked before: What do I want to do? Remembering her teenage love of dance, she signed up for a pole-dancing fitness class, where she met a former cheerleader for the Cincinnati Bengals. When the woman suggested that Laura audition to be a “Ben-Gal,” Laura laughed her off but soon realized that the audition process could be a way of healing herself—and regaining her confidence. Her boots were made for walking—but also for stomping on a football field. She tried out for the team next to girls young enough to be her daughters. Girls with tighter abs, fuller hair, no kids, and no crow’s-feet. After much adversity and multiple auditions, she finally made the team, becoming the oldest cheerleader in the League. It’s Not About the Pom-Poms follows Laura’s inspiring, funny, and eye-opening journey from demoralized divorcée to high-kicking Cincinnati Ben-Gal. Readers will cheer her on as she rediscovers her passion for dancing, takes hip-hop classes with twelve-year-olds, loses twenty-five pounds, discovers her abs, finds love again, and becomes a new kind of role model to her daughters. Laura also provides an inside look into the fascinating world of NFL cheerleaders—the grueling workouts, bad pay, twice-weekly weigh-ins, but, most important, the lifelong bond between the women, who do it all for the glory. Leading with her heart, Laura Vikmanis faces adversity with her head held high as she learns in mid-life to take a flying leap. Powerful and uplifting, It’s Not About the Pom-Poms shows that, no matter your age, it’s never too late to go, fight, and win!
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"Cute memoir about a woman who fights her way out of an unpleasant life, and through her own hard work finds success. Good for her!"
— Maryellen (4 out of 5 stars)
It's Not About the Pom-Poms Listener Reviews
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" As an ex-cheerleader I really LOVED this book! It was so interesting to me to read about what goes on behind the scenes. "
— Becky, 12/11/2013 -
" Interesting glimpse into the world of professional cheerleading. "
— Kiara, 10/9/2013 -
" Laura Vikmanis's story is interesting, but the book isn't a gripping read. "
— Kelley, 9/11/2013 -
" I absolutely can't wait to read this book!!! I'm a single mom and getting scarely close to the big 4-0!!! So any inspiration is much needed!! This sounds like a fun book but I betting I'm going to learn alot and think alot along the way!! "
— Shannon, 8/14/2013 -
" This book was very interesting, due to the sheer fact that I didn't know a lot about professional cheerleaders in the NFL. After reading the book, I think for all the work they do, they should be compensated more! "
— Ember, 6/19/2013 -
" Even people over 40 have dreams. You're never to old to make your dreams come true. "
— Melissa, 8/3/2012
About the Authors
Laura Vikmanis was born in 1968. She joined the Cincinnati Ben-Gals in 2009 and is the oldest cheerleader in the NFL. A registered dietitian and certified personal trainer, she is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach. New Line Cinema has optioned her life story for a feature film. She lives in Dayton, Ohio, with her two daughters.
Amy Sohn is the author of five novels, including Prospect Park West and Motherland. A former columnist at New York magazine, she has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, The Nation, and the New York Times. She has been a writing resident at Headlands Center for the Arts, Art Omi, and the Studios at MASS MoCA. A native New Yorker, she lives in Brooklyn with her daughter.