NASHVILLE, Tenn. A small-town Oklahoma dancer’s path through elite cheerleading programs leads to coaching excellence with the Tennessee Titans and she is breaking it down with Nashville Fit.
Growing up less than a mile from the University of Oklahoma, Petersen’s love affair with dance and performance began early. From a young age, I fell in love, not only with the athleticism and creative part of dance, but just the people it brought me,” Petersen says. Dance became a rooted part of her life that soon shaped almost everything about her today. I am grateful for the dance teachers, to the overall confidence it gave me as a person, and the work ethic that it instilled in my life.”
Those Saturday afternoons spent in the stadium became more than just watching a good football game. “I had my binoculars up in the 300 section. I was looking down at the cheerleaders and the dancers, just in awe of them, in awe of who they were as ambassadors and also their talent.” This early exposure to collegiate athletics planted seeds that would eventually bloom into a career spanning multiple elite programs.
Petersen’s dream of joining the OU Pom Squad became reality during her college years, where she performed for four seasons. “That’s where I really gained a love for performing,” Petersen shares.
Heather had spend much of her life competing, but felt much more impacted and fulfilled being on a team and cheering for something bigger than herself. “Being around people that make you better is what attracted me to it all,” she adds.
The transition from college to professional cheerleading required intense preparation and unwavering determination. Petersen went to a couple of prep classes just to see if it was something she really wanted to do, and she instantly fell in love with it. She knew it would take a lot of work, but knew her passions would keep her showing up everyday.
Petersen’s time with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders during the 2016-2017 season proved transformative, though not without its challenges.
The audition process for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders was grueling, starting with over 800 applicants that were narrowed down to 75, then to approximately 45-50 for training camp. For Heather, making it to the final round meant packing her bags and starting a new life in Dallas with just 10 days’ notice
“It was the pressure cooker, but it was absolutely worth it and such a privilege and honor to be training in a room full of the most talented people in the world,” she recalled.
The experience taught her valuable lessons about humility and being part of something bigger than herself. Throughout the intense training and performance schedule, her faith remained her anchor. “My identity in Christ ultimately was the number one key,” she explains, emphasizing how staying grounded in her faith helped her throughout her time in Dallas.
“My faith is something that is really important to me, since I was a child,” she shares. “My identity was not in a uniform, but was really in the Lord.”
While performing with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, Petersen discovered an unexpected passion that would reshape her career. “I really found a love for coaching,” she expresses.
“I started teaching a lot more and giving back to my university by helping them and doing choreography,” she adds. “That became a new outlet that I found that I loved almost more than performing.”
This revelation led to a pivotal career move. After spending time in Dallas working in digital marketing while coaching and choreographing, Petersen received an opportunity that would change everything. “I was able to have the opportunity to take a job at Vanderbilt University where I was their dance coach for two seasons,” Petersen shares.
Petersen served as Vanderbilt’s dance team coach from 2019 to 2021, honing her coaching skills in the competitive SEC environment. When this opportunity in Nashville came up, she thought knew this opportunity wouldn’t come again, and it’s time to “take a leap of faith.”
In an unexpected twist, Heather’s childhood exposure to financial guru Dave Ramsey’s radio show played a crucial role in her career transition. Having grown up hearing Ramsey’s advice about emergency funds and debt management in the background of dance classes, she had followed his financial principles, which allowed her to quit her full-time digital marketing job and move across the country for that Vanderbilt position.
She now works full-time at Ramsey Solutions in Nashville, celebrating her sixth anniversary with the company.
“The funny part is that Dave always says everything starts with humble beginnings, and mine was growing up in small-town, listening to his voice on the radio, and now he’s blessed me with a job that’s become my full-time role here in Nashville.”
Talk about a full circle moment!
But her time on the field was certainly not over.
Unable to stop the dancing, Petersen looked into joining the Tennessee Titans Dance and Cheer program.
“I really felt the Lord call me to this team, there was just something different about the Titans and the Titans organization and what they stood for,” she shares.
“I remember hearing the team’s director say, ‘this is a team that is not built on an Instagram post, it’s not built on your own self or your own self promotion, it’s really built on the team and what’s bigger than yourself.'”
The Titans’ brand statement: win, serve, entertain resonated deeply with Petersen’s values. ” I don’t want to be a part of something that’s just about me,” she shares. “I really felt, for the first time in my life, I was able to just perform and dance and just of get rid of any sort of past anxiety or any sort of fear I ever had.”
Petersen cheered for the Titans from 2021 to 2023, experiencing the organization’s commitment to excellence and community service firsthand. The program’s comprehensive approach impressed her.
When her performing career with the Titans concluded, Petersen seamlessly transitioned into coaching. Petersen is now in her third season coaching and says she is exactly where she wants to be.
As a choreography coach, Petersen’s responsibilities are extensive and year-round. “We create all the choreography for every home game, which means a new routine each week,” she shares. “Our main focus is developing fresh choreography, choosing the right music for each game, and ensuring every routine feels unique while still aligning with the overall Titans brand.”
Petersen’s coaching philosophy centers on creating inclusive, family-friendly entertainment. “You’ve got anyone from a 4-year-old to a 95-year-old, and I want every single person who interacts with our fans to leave with that same feeling of being inspired,” she adds.
Their onsite trainer, Hillary also ensures they are set up for success all season long.
The training is role-specific and designed to prepare athletes for the demands of game day performance. “Hillairy does specific workouts that are designed either for the flyer role, the dancer role, or the bass role. So depending on what role you are, she does a great job of making sure the workout gets you ready for game day and also strengthens your body,” Heather shares. “You walk into that first game in August or early September and you’re ready, you’re ready for the Tennessee heat and you’re ready for whatever game day brings.”
This season, Petersen helped develop new entertainment concepts that showcase the full scope of the Titans’ game day experience. “This year we decided to start an opener with not just the cheerleading team, but also our Blue Crew and mascot. We even have season ticket holders that are a part of it!” Heather expresses.
Even during challenging seasons, Petersen emphasizes the importance of consistency and fan engagement. “I think my director said it best: our goal is to win the crowd.”
As cheerleaders, their job is to win the crowd. They strive to ensure fans, and anyone who interacts with the Titans, have the best possible experience. No matter what happens during a game, they can always control their attitude and how they respond.
Heather shares this is easy when you have an amazing lineup of talent on the field every season. “I’m honestly blown away. I love auditions to see all the talent come together and every single person that auditions could make this team. They’re all so incredible.”
From those early days with binoculars in the Oklahoma stadium to coaching elite athletes in Nashville, Petersen’s journey reflects the power of pursuing passion with purpose. “I never thought that something could ever bring me more joy than performing on a stage or on a field, but being on that other side of it, getting to really take a step back and watch the team produce something that is even beyond the vision I had, is what drives every single day me to become better at my craft,” Petersen adds.
Her story embodies the spirit of Nashville itself, a city where dreams are pursued and supported. “It just brings me joy every day, waking up in the morning that I get to have these opportunities and I just get to be a small part of these amazing organizations that make me, my city and community better.”
As she continues to shape the next generation of Titans cheerleaders, her impact extends far beyond choreography, instilling the same values of excellence, humility, and service that have defined her remarkable journey.
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