Sam Amico
Age is just a number, even for cheerleaders.
Videos by Rare
Look no further than the Sun City Poms as evidence. This particular cheer squad, out of Arizona, is for women 55-and-over. For the record, most are over, but they talk about their age — and commitment to cheering — with great pride.
“Last year, I started thinking, ‘Oh, maybe I’m getting too old for this,'” Poms member Mary Zirbel, 81, told People. “But you know what? The people love it. The crowd loves it. And if I can do it, I still want to do it.”
There are only two requirements to become eligible for the squad — you must live in Sun City, a retirement community in the Phoenix suburbs, and of course, you can’t be any younger than 55.
Currently, the Poms boast 30 members, with several others training and waiting in the wings. One of the ladies is 90, and according to the group, always draws the loudest cheers from the crowd. Usually, around 500-700 people will show up to watch them perform.
Of course, you don’t get to do your routine for an audience and call it a day. It’s a major commitment — with practices occasionally lasting three hours a day and up to 50 events a year.
Peggy Parsons, 81, is the president of the group.
“I’m hoping to get to be 90 so (the rest of the Poms) can celebrate with me,” she said. “We aspire to inspire before we expire.”
Not only does the cheering keep them active, but they are also forming some tight bonds later in life, group members will tell you. They even do a We Are Family routine to show that in many ways, they are sisters.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m their mother because I’m one of the older ones,” Parsons said. “And that’s wonderful because I had three sons, I didn’t have any daughters, and now I can share all these pretty costumes and fun outfits.”
