At the beginning of her first season as a New England Patriots cheerleader, Northampton native Lyndsey Raucher had a fear of performing in front of large crowds.
After her first preseason game at Gillette Stadium, she overcame her apprehensiveness, learning to internalize her performance.
It’s a good thing, because on Sunday at Super Bowl 51 she will perform in front an estimated 100 million viewers.
Raucher will be on the sideline at NRG Stadium in Houston as the Patriots play the Atlanta Falcons. The squad has a tentative plan for an on-field performance during the second quarter.
“I can’t even wrap my head around everything I have had the opportunity to be a part of this year,” Raucher said.
Outside of the dancing at the game, Raucher and her squad had had many media opportunities leading up to the Super Bowl.
These appearances include Good Morning America, ESPN’s First Take, and Fox & Friends.
“Houston is going to be very, very busy,” Raucher said in an interview before she left for Houston. “We are going to make a lot of exciting appearances. This week is going to be fast paced but incredible.”
Raucher and her squad will have to find time to practice.
“It’s going to be a lot of late nights and early mornings,” Raucher said. “But that’s all just part of the ride.”
To prepare for the Super Bowl, Raucher has heard from a few of her teammates who danced at Super Bowl 49.
“They reflect on it as one of the craziest, best experiences of their lives,” Raucher said. “Being a part of the whole show is something they can’t put into words. I am blown away that I have been given this opportunity as well.”
She has experienced quite a bit during her first season as a Patriots cheerleader. She traveled to the Bahamas to shoot the 2017 Patriots Cheerleader Swimsuit Calendar. Raucher and teammates have crossed paths with R&B singer Ciara and Brazilian Victoria Secret model and actress Adriana Lima.
“They were both so kind and down to earth,” Raucher said.
The fear of dancing in front of crowds at the beginning of the season faded quickly for Raucher.
“Dancing in front of a lot of people has been a huge fear of mine,” Raucher said. “Ever since I danced at a preseason game I have been incredibly calm about it.”
Keeping the performance personal, no matter how many people are watching, was important.
“I’ve realized that a performance is a very personal experience,” Raucher said. “No matter how many people are watching, focusing on yourself, what you are doing and how you feel is what’s most important.”
The best part of Raucher’s job is the inspiration that her teammates provide.
“My friends on the team are genuinely kind, intelligent, talented and fiercely independent,” Raucher said. “I feel so lucky to know them.”
Raucher is a full-time student at UMass with another part-time job. The long drives back and forth to Gillette Stadium have become a regular part of her life.
“It’s taught me the importance of a good playlist,” Raucher said. “Ultimately, you can’t lose sight of what motivates you. When you have the motivation, the drive to work hard comes naturally.”
