Like most little girls growing up in Baton Rouge, Eleanor Koonce dreamed of dancing on the field in Tiger Stadium as a Golden Girl. However, unlike most little girls, her dream came true.
“I’ve been to games since I was very little, but it was an entirely new experience,” Koonce said. “I walked in, and I teared up immediately because I had been watching them for so long and wanting to be on the team.”
Koonce had been preparing her whole life to be a Golden Girl. She even had a leotard and cape stored in her closet.
“I actually was a Golden Girl for Halloween when I was about seven,” Koonce said. “So, I have a picture of me dressed as a Golden Girl doing the ‘L’ arms. I posted it after my first game. It’s really cool to see younger girls dressed for Halloween now. It’s like I’ve come full circle.”
When she is not performing in Tiger Stadium, Koonce and the rest of the Golden Girls spend their time perfecting their routines in Tiger Band Hall.
They practice for hours every day except on Sundays to ensure that their performances are flawless.
Although Koonce has to miss tailgating with her friends and sorority sisters, she experiences Saturday nights in Death Valley in her own unique way.
“Whenever I go onto the field to perform pregame and see my friends in the stands, I know that what I’m doing is so special and bigger than myself,” Koonce said. “I wouldn’t trade it in the end.”