Emily Awbrey is opening up about one of the lesser-known rules that Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders must follow, including a close call she had during a recent performance in Brazil.
The rookie cheerleader, who became a fan favorite on Netflix's America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders , exclusively tells First for Sports that while team members are allowed to have tattoos, they're required to keep them covered during games and appearances.
"There's actually no rule that you can't have tattoos, but they must be covered for game day's appearances. It can't be seen," Awbrey, 24, explains.
For Awbrey, who has a tattoo on her hand, that means relying on makeup that can withstand hours of dancing, sweating and handling pom-poms.
"I use makeup to cover it. And I think for me, it's really in the setting spray, right?" she says. "Same with [our faces] because we're sweating a lot on game day. So if you're not setting your face and then, for me, setting my hand, yeah, it's impossible, especially since we're holding poms and it just gets sweaty."
While Awbrey has mostly figured out how to keep her tattoo hidden, she admits there was one occasion when things almost went wrong.
"I would say the one time it started to rub off, I was getting nervous [and] I could see it like chipping away, was in Rio," she recalls. "We were in Brazil just a few weeks ago and it was hot and it was humid."
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Awbrey adds that she was "shaking" her pom-poms, and she noticed her tattoo peeking through during her water break.
"I picked up my water and I'm not holding the palm anymore. And I looked down and I was like, 'Oh no, switch hands.' But it's held up pretty well," she continues.
Awbrey says she's since found a routine that helps keep her tattoo covered, even during some of her more demanding performances.
The former training camp hopeful officially made the team on her second attempt after being cut during the third season of America's Sweethearts , and fans will likely get to watch her journey play out in the upcoming fourth season.
Instagram: emilyawbrey
Awbrey is also celebrating her rookie season through a collaboration between Dr. Pepper and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders , which features a collectible can dressed in a miniature replica of the team's iconic uniform.
"It was handcrafted by the very artisans who make our uniform. So the detail is spot on. It's sitting in a little pom-pom as well," she tells First for Sports .
The collectible holds special meaning for Awbrey because the cheerleaders don't get to keep their uniforms.
"It's like a time capsule I'll have forever," she says.
This story Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Emily Awbrey Reveals Team's Strict Tattoo Rule, How Her Cover-Up Nearly Failed first appeared on First for Sports . Follow First for Sports on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
