Sartaj Singh
‘America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ is a Netflix documentary that transports us to the glittering and jubilant world of the eponymous cheerleaders and uncovers the pressures and struggles beneath its picture-perfect surface. Helmed by Greg Whiteley, it follows cheerleaders from varying walks of life, amongst whom Anna Kate presents a unique example. Anna’s sister had been a veteran DCC member, the physical strain of which led to her having foot surgery. Despite knowing the terrifying physical and emotional repercussions of the job, Anna confidently forges a path toward joining the esteemed cheerleading squad.
Anna Kate Sundvold Grew Up in Her Sister’s Shadow
Like most of her teammates at the DCC, Anna developed an interest in dance from a very young age. She received professional training in tap, jazz, ballet, and contemporary from the Columbia Performing Arts Centre in Columbia, Missouri. As she became a part of her high school dance team, her sister, Caroline, shone in the field of dance, soon joining the DCC and staying on the team for five years. Caroline had attended Missouri University like most of her family, but wishing to forge her own path in life, Anna joined Texas Christian University.
There, she garnered the experience of being a cheerleader, which would later become vital to her trials in the DCC. The Columbia, Missouri native became a TCU Showgirl and helmed the cheerleading team in her junior and senior years, even dancing at the College Football National Championship. At the age of 19, her leadership talents were recognized by the Columbia Business Time Magazine’s 20 Under 20. After having proven to herself that she was a capable leader in her own right, Anna seemed to grow more confident and comfortable with her sister’s accomplishments and heard Caroline speaking very highly of the DCC.
The older sister told her stories of a highly motivated group of girls who had a genuine love for what they did, coming together and seemingly making magic happen on the football ground. Their camaraderie off the field was the other half of the story, something that compelled Caroline to push past the limits of her body to keep spending consecutive years in the DCC. Wanting to surround herself with such driven individuals and feel some of the magic her sister had described, Anna made up her mind to join the DCC.
Anna’s Loved Ones are Steeped in the World of Professional Sports
Anna is the youngest of three children lovingly raised by John and Tamara Sundvold. The cheerleader’s father, John Sundvold, was a former professional NBA player who played for nine seasons. He was picked from the University of Missouri, where he is now a Hall of Famer, and served as a 6’2” shooting guard for the Seattle SuperSonics, San Antonio Spurs, and Miami Heat between 1983 and 1992. After retiring from basketball, he put his finance degree to use and eventually opened his own investment capital firm.
Her elder sister, Caroline, and brother, Wilson, both attended MU as well, where the latter played on the university golf team before joining his father’s firm. In late 2022, Wilson got married, and Anna welcomed her sister-in-law, Elizabeth, with open arms into their family. Despite his retirement, Anna’s father has remained close to the professional scene at the NBA and has worked as a basketball analyst for ESPN, CBS, and MU Tiger games broadcast by the Missouri Sports Network.
“My family is my biggest motivation,” said Anna in a DCC interview. “They are my best supporters and have been through everything with me. They keep me on my path in life and motivate me to reach towards my goals every day.” The rookie has been in a relationship with Michael Snyder for nearly four years. The two met at TCU, where Michael played baseball at a district level on the university team and has recently completed his master’s degree. The couple often goes on weekend trips and seems close to each other’s families. They enjoy on another’s company on special occasions and are committed in the long term.
Anna Kate Sundvold is Trying Out For The DCC Once Again
True to her sister’s descriptions, the DCC proved to be like nothing else Anna had experienced and became one of her proudest accomplishments. When the ring ceremony was held in March 2024 for the departing cheerleaders, she danced, celebrated, and shed tears along with the teammates who had grown so close in such a short span of time. Determined to join the esteemed squad’s ranks once more, Anna practiced for the auditions once more to shed her rookie tag with the 2024 season.
Her round one performance was a highlight of the auditions, termed “pearls and poise” by the DCC authorities. The second round’s results have not yet been announced. Having exceeded everyone’s and perhaps even her own expectations, Anna has a bright road ahead of her in the DCC or otherwise, and we wish her good health and happiness in her journey to come.
Read More: Caroline Sundvold: Where is the Ex-Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Now?
