Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Defends ‘Controversial’ Hairstyle Amid Viral Backlash originally appeared on Parade.<\/i><\/p>\n
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are known for their iconic blue-and-white uniforms, and just as iconic, long, voluminous hair worn down. However, one rookie is making headlines by breaking that beauty standard.<\/p>\n
Faith Ward<\/strong>, 22, is the first New Zealander to join the prestigious DCC squad. During training camp, she was spotted wearing her hair in a slicked-back ponytail \u2014 a major break from the traditional style fans have long embraced.<\/p>\n The unexpected updo quickly caught attention in a video posted by DCC member Charly Barby<\/strong>. In the now-viral clip, Barby stood alongside the new recruits, all wearing their hair down, except for Ward.<\/p>\n Fans quickly noticed Ward\u2019s bold switchup \u2014 and didn\u2019t hold back their disapproval in the comments. \u201cOf the over a decade I\u2019ve seen MTT, there\u2019s never been a girl in a ponytail,\u201d one fan wrote, while another added, \u201cNo pony! It\u2019s the DCC way.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite the backlash, Ward is now speaking out, and setting the record straight. “It’s crazy because obviously the DCC hairstyle is out, fluffy, voluminous, luscious, long locks. I’ve broken that stereotype,” she told ABC Perth on Monday, July 21.<\/p>\n So how did the ponytail come to be? According to Ward, it was none other than DCC director Kelli Finglass<\/strong> who encouraged the switch.<\/p>\n “So, I’m in rehearsal one of the days with my hair out and I am, you know, sweating after doing ‘Thunderstruck,'” she said. Finglass goes, \u201c\u2018You know what? I really want to see what your hair would look like tied up.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Ward kept the ponytail for the rest of rehearsal \u2014 and it stuck. She even wore it to her uniform fitting, hoping Finglass would approve.<\/p>\n “I go into uniform fittings and keep my hair up in hopes that she would like it still, and I walk in and she goes, ‘You’re giving Ariana Grande<\/strong>! Like, we need an Ariana Grande moment on the team,'” Ward shared.<\/p>\n While Ward\u2019s ponytail has sparked debate among die-hard DCC fans, she\u2019s staying optimistic about what it means for the team\u2019s future image.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to wait and see what she has to say as to whether it’s solidified yet,” Ward explained. “So right now, it’s looking very hopeful that I will be a DCC with a ponytail.\u201d<\/p>\n With this game-changing move, Ward isn\u2019t just making history, she may be rewriting the DCC beauty playbook.<\/p>\n Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Defends ‘Controversial’ Hairstyle Amid Viral Backlash first appeared on Parade on Jul 21, 2025<\/p>\n This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader is breaking ‘stereotypes’ with her bold new hairstyle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":70432,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n