I first met Lorenzo a few years ago, when we were booked for a dance gig together. I didn’t know much about him, just that he was a phenomenal dancer and full of talent.
Fast forward to April of this year. I heard that he was debating trying out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders and I could not have been more excited! Having been part of the organization for three years, I knew how much the team meant to me and was excited for him to share that.
Only our experiences would be slightly different. The audition process and the road to becoming a cheerleader is much more difficult than most perceive – but I was a woman, and this process had been completed by women before me for generations. Men had auditioned to become cheerleaders in years prior, but until now, there had never been a male cheerleader on our team.
I was so proud of him as I saw him walk through the training facility when the day came for being brave enough to go after his dreams. Lorenzo has an exemplary list of qualifications that would deem him most notable, but this is something more.
It is without a doubt that being the “first” of any kind is not an easy feat. To pave the way, to lead where no one else has gone before you is an adventure most of us would easily shy away from.
Lorenzo is exceptionally one of a kind – a friend, a performer and to so many, an inspiration. He encourages those around him to follow their dreams, lifting others up when they need it, pushing them to be their very best, while doing the same for himself.
He is someone who has been through life’s toughest trials and learned how to overcome. He holds no grudges or judgment. He sets high goals for himself and does all he can to see them through.
Lorenzo is our first male cheerleader, but one day the “male” descriptor will no longer be necessary. Lorenzo is changing our future, paving the way for generations to come.
