The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ first-ever member from New Zealand is opening up about the culture shock she experienced joining the team after moving from the Southern Hemisphere.
Faith Ward, 22, joined the acclaimed cheerleading group this season after being reached out to in July of 2025 by a recruiter on social media who she initially thought was a scammer.
Speaking to People in an interview published on Friday, June 26, she explained how her first year as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader has been and how her first year in the United States has also been.
The athlete, who was born in New Zealand but lived most of her life in Perth, Australia, said that in addition to learning about the NFL and the rules of American football, the biggest culture shock for her was “the portion sizes of food.”
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“I didn’t realize how much I spoke about food on the show, which makes me look like I fit in perfectly,” she told the outlet. “I order something and it comes massive. I love American food. Texas barbecue is my personal favorite, but that was definitely a shock, the greasy processed-ness of the food.”
Ward’s other big culture shock was captured on the third season of the Netflix docuseries America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, where she can be seen trying to turn onto a busy highway in Texas after driving on the opposite side of the road in Australia all her life.
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“In Dallas, everyone drives like you’ve got seven lives and fast. In Australia, it’s very like you’re chill, you’re by the beach, you’re driving,” she told People.
Finally, she revealed the other American custom she had to adapt to, which was waiting until a higher-up finishes speaking to speak herself.
“Obviously, you see me talking eight hundred miles an hour in the show,” she explained. “I was born and raised that you should be acknowledging someone as they’re speaking as a sign of respect.”
She added, “Coming here to Texas, the ‘yes ma’am’ is a respect thing and you stay silent until the end.”
This story Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ First New Zealand Member Details ‘Culture Shock’ of American Customs first appeared on InTouch Weekly. Follow InTouch Weekly on Yahoo so you don’t miss what’s coming next.