“I don't think I’ve ever been more nervous before in my life,” Reece recalls of the day she retired from the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. “The scary part is I don’t know where I’m landing, and so it’s just about going into the unknown.”
Across three seasons of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Reece has emerged as one of the team’s most beloved stars — known for her jaw-dropping high kicks, deep commitment, and unwavering faith. But Reece’s connection runs even deeper: Her rookie season was also the debut season of America’s Sweethearts, making her one of the faces most closely tied to the series from the very beginning.
The timing also makes her exit all the more striking, as many Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders choose to move on after five years. “It was always back and forth," she tells Tudum. “It’s weird because I don’t want to relate this to a loss, but there’s some sort of grieving process with this once you make that decision.”
So why was now the exact right moment for Reece to leave? What does this next stage of life look like for her? And how did the team leaders — senior director Kelli Finglass and head choreographer Judy Trammell — react to the news? Keep reading for our conversation with the dance superstar about what went into making the decision and what life looks like after DCC.
When did the idea first come to you that maybe this was the year to move on?
Reece: I’d actually been wrestling with this decision since the start of my third year. My cup was just filled to the absolute brim, and I was in a place — I still am in that same place — of sincere gratitude. With a lot of just prayer and counseling, I just felt led, that I was being called to take a leap of faith.
Was there a tipping point moment when the decision became final?
Reece: It was slow at first, but during the off-season, I was really able to say yes to a lot of opportunities that I usually have to say no to because we're in season. The more I considered new opportunities that were so graciously coming in, I think my heart was ready to move on to the next phase of life.
A lot of veterans stay for five years — why was three years the right number for you?
Reece: It all comes down to someone’s very, very personal decision. For a lot of us, we wrestle with the team aspect because we just want to be with our best friends every single day. I do think that there does come a time personally where you feel like you’ve given everything, and once you feel that, there is this sense of, “OK, well, if my absence gives another girl an opportunity for her cup to be filled.” That’s kind of the moment where you’re really realizing, “OK, I probably shouldn’t re-audition.”
We see you deal with injury this season, and this work can be so hard on the body — did that play a role in your decision?
Reece: Honestly, it was the opposite. It's not until something is taken away from you that you really, really miss what you actually love. I got injured at a time when it was the busiest, thickest part of our season, and it was an extreme bummer. I then had a new perspective — I really just missed dance and the camaraderie of a team. When you’re in it, you’re just hustling, and you’re not really thinking. You’re just trying to be your best and show up, and give it your all. But [being injured] rekindled my love for dance. It made me want to go back to my roots of performing in musical theater, jazz, and being onstage. My injury just gave me more fuel to go back to the [kind of] dance that I grew up with.
Every Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader has to tell their decision to Judy and Kelli face-to-face — how did it feel to walk into that conference room to let them know you were not going to be re-auditioning?
Reece: I was more worried about how this was going to be taken and received. I didn’t know what their response would be. They’ve been extremely supportive throughout my journey here, but you just never know. I was so worried about the actual words that were going to come out [of my mouth]. I didn’t want to leave that meeting without having said everything that was in my heart. I do think that I was able to communicate as eloquently as possible, even though that was a really nerve-wracking meeting.
Did they seem caught off guard?
Reece: I feel like they kind of had an inkling, because we had some very short conversations before. Our conversations started to turn just a little bit this year, and so, I think that they had a hint. Same with my teammates. A lot of them saw the toll and they kind of saw that it was a little bit challenging at times. I don’t think anyone was really shocked, but I think that it was really hard news, for sure.
What were those challenges?
Reece: I think one of the biggest ones was constantly being “on.” It’s not just being in uniform — it’s everyday life. I never want people to have an interaction with me in everyday life where they’re like, “That’s not the Reece I see on TV,” because I do want to try to be my most authentic and real self. I’ll be at a grocery store and I’ll look at [my husband] Will and I’m like, “I have nothing left in my cup right now. My battery is in the negative.” That little bit of anxiety of, “What if someone approaches me, and I’m at my most vulnerable, most tired?” There's a natural pressure there.
Another thing too — and we talk about it a lot in Season 3 — is social media. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but some opinions are extremely loud and hurtful. The pressure of going to a game and knowing seconds later, as soon as the game ends, you’re going to see lots of videos of you, it’s constant pressure. If I mess up, it’s going to be online. All that really adds up. It does take a toll on not just me, but all of us.
You often lean on your husband, Will, for advice and guidance — what did he say to you throughout this decision-making process?
Reece: Will always carries his support. He has sacrificed so much for me to live out this dream. No matter what my decision was, whether I hung up the uniform or I was re-auditioning, he was 100% supportive of either decision. He wasn’t swaying me. Sometimes I’m so indecisive, but I look back, and I’m just so grateful that no matter what decision, he was all in.
So what’s next?
Reece: There’s been so many brands and organizations that have reached out. I’m really excited to be a little more available for some really cool projects. I can’t share too much, but I’m in the middle of working on a book right now that I’m super-excited about, and that’s just a field I've never dipped my toes into. Hopefully, I can just inspire and encourage, specifically young women along the way.
What about in dance?
Reece: I actually grew up a studio dancer. I was more on the conservatory track on dance, and so when I went the collegiate dance team and pro-cheer route, everyone was like, “Whoa, this is so foreign for you.” I really miss my upbringing in dance. One of my dreams has been to be on Broadway. I don’t know if that’s ever going to actually happen, but I would love to at least go back to the kind of dancing I grew up with.
Are you going to continue to live in Texas?
Reece: We actually just moved to where we went to college, in Alabama, which we’re really, really excited about. Will and I, when we were in college, we looked at each other and we were like, “I think we're going to be that strange couple that goes back to our college town and plants roots.” We’re excited that that has come true for us. We’re a lot closer to family, which is really exciting.
How is the Reece of today different from the Reece we met three seasons ago?
Reece: I can say this: I have grown thick skin that I’d never thought could be possible. I’m still trying to learn and make sure that I’m not putting my worth and identity in words from others. I just feel like I’ve grown in confidence in who I am, rather than seeking approval. I came in as a people pleaser. I just wanted to please anyone and everyone, and that’s just not normal. That’s not natural.
Is it a little scary to take this leap of faith?
Reece: If we knew what was happening tomorrow, we wouldn’t need faith. That’s why I am just really leaning into that right now. I don’t have to know what tomorrow is. It’s very human to worry about your next steps in life, but I’m really trying to be optimistic that no matter what life brings, it’s meant to be. My whole life, I’ve wanted to know what the next hour is bringing. If we’re going on a trip, I need a whole itinerary. But I think that I’ve learned to accept this life, where it is very sporadic and inconsistent.
What will you miss about Kelli and Judy? I know they can be tough because their standards are just so high for the team.
Reece: They do run a tight ship. I think one thing that I always try to remind myself of in those moments is that Kelli and Judy are mothers. Judy’s a sweet grandma. She loves going to her grandson’s baseball games. I think when my mind remembers that, it makes me have just so much reassurance and peace that they’re not always out to get me. They are still so kind and loving. And they have daughters too. And so I always try to remind myself of that.
When you first started this journey, and you saw those first few episodes of the first season of America’s Sweethearts, did you have a sense of how popular you and the show would become?
Reece: Not one bit. We had just gotten back from our honeymoon. I kept telling Will, “I don’t think you understand. They filmed a lot. I don’t know what it’s going to be, but this is Netflix. Even if I’m in two seconds, it’s going to be huge.” After we watched the first two episodes, I came back home, and I was completely silent. Will was like, “What happened? Are you OK?” And I said, “I think life is going to look different.”
