043: Breaking Formation – Inside the First Detroit Lions Cheer Squad

Nicole Moffatt helped make history as one of the original Detroit Lions cheerleaders, blending athleticism and artistry on the NFL sidelines. Before that, she danced professionally in New York City — even appearing on Good Morning America — and today, she channels that same energy into teaching Pilates. In this episode, she shares what life was really like as a pro cheerleader, how movement shaped her confidence, and what it takes to start over after the spotlight fades. It’s a celebration of trailblazers, transitions, and finding strength in every chapter.

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Chapters

•  10:02 - The Transition to Detroit Lions Cheerleading 
•  19:23 - Life as a Professional Cheerleader: Challenges and Triumphs
•  25:05 - The Athleticism of Dance
•  26:46 - Game Day Excitement and Preparation
•  30:39 - Transitioning to Fitness and Pilates
•  34:59 - Reinventing Yourself and Building Confidence
•  37:39 - Advice for Navigating Life's Crossroads
•  40:13 - Future Aspirations in Fitness Community

Transcript

Nicole Moffatt (00:00)
so I really liked the show. I think that it was a pretty accurate depiction of what has a legacy that Detroit doesn't have yet. And so it is more demanding to make a team like Dallas and they have, you know, girls auditioning from all over the world for their team. I would say it's a little bit more prestigious than Detroit,

Ambre (00:05)
Mm. ⁓

Nicole Moffatt (00:22)
but the way things run is pretty similar

So there's like...

such a big piece of it that is so accurate to the show. But I think that one thing that don't know about the team just from looking at is what a true sisterhood it is.

Teryn (01:08)
All right, welcome back everyone. Today we're joined by someone who proves that athleticism, artistry and hard work can take you just about anywhere. From the stage to the sidelines, to the studio, Nicole Moffat started her career as a professional dancer in New York City. She later brought her talent and energy back home as one of the original Detroit Lions cheerleaders.

And now she's using her passion for movement to help others as a Pilates instructor, empowering everyday athletes to feel strong and confident in their own bodies. And on a personal note, I've actually known Nicole since we were kids, we spent countless summer days swimming in her family's backyard pool long before either of us knew where we'd be at today. Nicole's journey reminds us that no matter where life takes you from bright lights to quiet studios, it's all about growth.

resilience and finding what lights you up with each new chapter. With that, we're so excited to have you on the podcast, Nicole. Thanks for being here.

Nicole Moffatt (02:11)
Thank you so much for having me. I think I want to use that intro as my alarm every morning and just like wake up and be like, okay, yeah, girl take on the day. That was so awesome. Thank you.

Ambre (02:16)
Ooh.

Teryn (02:20)
You've got this. You are, you are a pro. You're welcome. You're welcome.

It's probably not even nearly enough to highlight how awesome you are, but so excited to have you Nicole, let's start from the beginning. What first got you into dance? And because honestly, that's like the thing that I remember the most about you.

It's just like seeing you in all your like dance costumes and like the bright red lipstick and the slicked back hair, all the pictures all over your house. But like, when did you know this was something you wanted to pursue seriously?

Nicole Moffatt (02:54)
So as like most children, my parents put me into dance and I just grew up dancing and I just loved it. Like I don't think I ever thought when I was, you know, 12, 13, 14 years old, I want to do this as a career. I just, just loved it. And I got to the point where like you get towards the end of high school, you're not sure what you want to do with your life. And I just kept telling my parents, I just want to dance. And they were like, we love that for you.

maybe we should have like a backup plan. And were my parents are the most supportive, but I did go to cosmetology school and started working in a hair salon. just did not have the level of passion that I did for dance. And so I looked into a couple of different programs. And that is actually what

put my career forward is that I just auditioned for a dance program and got into it. And it was like the first time that I was like, ⁓ I think I could do this. Like, I think I could do this in my life and see where it goes. I don't think I ever, you know, in high school was like, okay, I'm going to move out to New York City and I'm going to pursue dance. It just like once the idea was put into my head, it kind of sparked the like,

the confidence behind wanting to go for it.

Ambre (04:14)
This gives me all of these good feelings, like all those movies that you see where, you know, the person has this big dream, works really hard and then gets that break. It sounds like somebody, okay, it sounds like somebody needs to make a movie about your life, basically is what I'm saying. We should trademark that. Okay, okay, so you move to the big city.

Teryn (04:30)
Let's do it.

Nicole Moffatt (04:32)
would love that.

Teryn (04:33)
Hahaha!

Ambre (04:38)
and you're there, big city being New York City, and you're there for three years, including getting to dance on Good Morning America with some big names from Dancing with the Stars. You were involved with the Rockettes. Tell us about that whole experience being in New York City and being part of these really amazing and famous ⁓ programs.

Nicole Moffatt (05:03)
Yeah, so I did not work for the Rockettes. I just trained to become a Rockette and I did their summer intensive program for a couple of years. ⁓ I was so young when I lived in New York City that it's kind of crazy like now in my mid 30s, I'm so aware of what's happening and I'm so aware of like where I wanna be and where I wanna be.

where I am in space right now. But as like a 21 year old, you're just going, you're just doing it. And I know that that sounds wild, but I every opportunity that came my way, I just took it. You don't have a lot of like, okay, this is exactly what I'm gonna do. And this is how I'm gonna do it. Or at least I didn't, I just was like closing my eyes and being like, okay, who's ready? I'm gonna go give everything a.

Teryn (05:56)
done.

Nicole Moffatt (05:59)
100%. And that I think is how some of those opportunities came to be. This city is overwhelming and there's a lot going on. I auditioned for a lot of different roles, a lot of different, I was told no a lot of times, but the times that I was told yes, I wasn't specifically being like, okay, it's a goal to dance on Good Morning America. It was just like something that I was like, okay.

I'm gonna go after everything I wanna do and that was one of the things that kinda came my way. So was really fortunate to have some really cool opportunities while I lived in the city.

Teryn (06:34)
It's amazing.

Ambre (06:34)
Can I ask

you, your 21 year old self, so you're very bold and you were brave, but where did your 21 year old self living in New York City coming from small town Michigan, where did you find the bravado and the confidence to say, you know, I'm gonna move there and I'm gonna do all the things, I'm gonna audition for all the things. Like, where did you get that from?

Nicole Moffatt (06:57)
borderline delusion. Also, like being an oldest child, I've like been, you know, telling people what to do for years. And so I think that it's just a little bit of like, I didn't know better. I also just like, I think it's a little bit of like, I don't know how to explain this, but like the nose.

Ambre (06:59)
I'm

Nicole Moffatt (07:21)
that being told no kind of just made me want it more. Yes, it hurts sometimes, but I think if you take the emotional part out of it, which you can't always do, like sometimes there is a very emotional element to it, but if you can take some of the emotion out of it and you're told no, you're like, okay, great, onto the next, how do I get told yes next time? And I think my younger self had a piece of that and I don't know where it came from.

Teryn (07:25)
Hmm.

Ambre (07:27)
Love that.

Mm.

you

Nicole Moffatt (07:49)
or how I acquired it, but the being told no and being like, OK, let me try again. I think I've just had.

Teryn (07:56)
Hmm.

Ambre (07:57)
Hmm. I love that.

Teryn (07:58)
So interesting.

And yeah, also like, I don't, I don't know if that can be taught, but I feel like that's, it's, I, I call that like fake it till you make it right. Like you, like if you just pretend like it doesn't bother you just onto the next, even though you like know it does, then you can just move on quicker. You know, I don't know. I don't know if that, I don't know if that resonates with you, but that's what I think of. ⁓

Nicole Moffatt (08:21)
It totally does, yeah. mean, even now in my life, there's a piece of me that craves trying new things because I wanna be bad at it to be good at it. And the bad at it, the bad at it is like, it's awkward and you hate it for a short amount of time. But then once you get good at something, that is such a good feeling. And I think you just have that.

Teryn (08:28)
Mm.

that sounds just like amber.

Ambre (08:32)
Mm.

Mm-mm. I so hear you.

Teryn (08:49)
I love that. Yeah. I want to do that more because you're like, don't think I've done that enough. I feel like I've, I maybe just lived in this like, this is the area where I thrive and I'm just going to stay here. I, yeah, I'm definitely want to push myself to be a little bit more dangerous in that way. Also, I have a side note question, totally unrelated, but it's about the Rockets. Is it true that you all have to be like the same height?

Ambre (08:50)
like a rush.

Nicole Moffatt (08:52)
Yeah

Teryn (09:18)
like the same build and even like the same hair, like is that true or is that just like a myth that people always say?

Nicole Moffatt (09:25)
So there is a height requirement. It's five, seven and a half to five, 10, which if you think there's like three inches between, but they build it from the tallest person to the shortest person in kickline. And so when I did their summer program, they actually measure you by your shoulders and by your head. And so the whole line is supposed to look really symmetrical. And so like sometimes you'll see their heads are like a little bit off, but their shoulders, because with their costumes.

Teryn (09:43)
in case you have a long neck.

Nicole Moffatt (09:54)
are right where they're at. Like look at the line next time. Everybody is perfectly in sync.

Teryn (09:54)
Yeah.

I love that. Well, fun fact. Okay. So after all that you did in New York city, what inspired you to decide to audition for the Detroit lions cheerleading squad, which tell the people about how that came to be when we were, guess I call them we, I shouldn't say we, I technically am a Patriots fan, but I do love the lions. Like, you know, hometown. That's my, I know.

Ambre (10:03)
That's fascinating.

Nicole Moffatt (10:23)
What? Ew.

Teryn (10:25)
I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I just don't want to claim them and people get mad at me for saying that when I'm not like, I don't always claim them. you know, hometown lions that they didn't have a cheerleading squad until you started there. So give that lore.

Nicole Moffatt (10:40)
Okay, this is a bit of an interesting story because I had no intention of leaving New York City. I was like loving the city. I was like, I think I'm a lifer. I'm gonna be here forever. But I had had a really hard audition season in 2020. Oh my gosh, no, 2016. Wow, not even 2020, 2016. And by hard, I was like being told yes.

Teryn (11:01)
time.

Nicole Moffatt (11:05)
and then a no. Like when you're just told no straight up, you're like, all right, continue on. But when you're getting these hopeful yeses and then you're told no, like that's a lot harder. So towards the end of audition season, I was like, I need home. I need my family. I just want to like be around comfortable situations. So I had gone home to Michigan and I get a Facebook message and it's like the audition post.

sent from like a friend. And I was like, ⁓ thank you. Flattered. I don't know what this is. And then I got sent it again. And I was like, is this real? Is this spam? I don't know what this is. And so I was like looking at it with my mom and my sister. And I was like, do you guys think this is legit? Like Detroit doesn't have cheerleaders. Like this is a Facebook post. I don't know if this is like anything that I should even care about. And my mom was like, well, what if it was real?

Ambre (11:36)
you

Nicole Moffatt (11:59)
and I was not sure how long I was going to stay home. I had only bought a one-way ticket because ⁓ my sister was pregnant. And so I was like, kind of just wanted to stay home. And she was towards the end of her pregnancy. And I wanted to see what was going to go on and just spend time with her. And so the audition was like the next week. And

Ambre (12:06)
Mm.

Nicole Moffatt (12:20)
my family was like, why don't you just go and see? Like, why don't you just see what it's about? If it's not what you wanna do, like you never have to tell anyone you were there. And I was like, okay, cool. So I go and it's, I mean, it's a completely legitimate audition. There was hundreds of girls that showed up and I was like looking around and I was like, I'm among some really fantastic dancers. like some of these people are really talented.

And I knew that growing up in Michigan and going to competitions and stuff in the state of Michigan, I knew that there's like very talented dancers. But in my head, I just did not think that it was going to be like the first year was going to be such an incredible turnout. And so here I am auditioning being like, wait a minute, do I want this? And like asking myself, like, do I want this? Do I want to move back to Michigan?

Ambre (13:05)
You

Teryn (13:06)
Like I'm here now. Do

I really want to be here? ⁓

Nicole Moffatt (13:11)
Yeah. it was more like I went into it thinking like there's no possible way. I won't leave New York. I won't move back. I won't do it. And I got through the first round of auditions. And I was like, OK, maybe. And then I got through the next round. I got asked to come back the next day. And every single time, I'm like, think I want this. I think I want this more. And then at the very end, we had an interview, like a one-on-one interview with my coach. And I was like, ⁓ I want this job.

Ambre (13:20)
We'll

Nicole Moffatt (13:40)
And in that interview, was like, is, that was the realization that I was like, I will move back to Michigan for this. This is a big deal. And that's when it really dawned on me that I was like, this is a cool job. that's how it happened.

Teryn (13:55)
That's so cool.

Ambre (13:56)
Wow. How long were you ⁓ a Lions cheerleader?

Nicole Moffatt (14:00)
three seasons. So I did 2016, 2017, and 2018. So when the lions were just right at the top.

Ambre (14:04)
Wow.

Teryn (14:07)
Peak excellence.

Ambre (14:08)
you

Nicole Moffatt (14:09)
Yes,

⁓ in 16, one season.

Teryn (14:11)
It

would be really fun to do it now. I feel like you could really enjoy it a little bit more.

Nicole Moffatt (14:19)
yeah, and like they're, have, mean, the team has changed so much. Like their uniforms are so beautiful now and like it's such a different situation. They have like a whole entire practice room that they practice at. like, it's it, I mean, I loved when I did but it definitely has changed.

Ambre (15:10)
Okay, now I'm interested to know during those three seasons that you were with the Lions, what did a typical week look like, but also... ⁓

Tell us, know, because the first cohort of anything is sort of inventing it as they go and you were there for the first three rounds. So tell us your typical week, but also how things changed during those three seasons.

Nicole Moffatt (15:34)
Yeah, OK, so every week was different. I'll start with that. I was fortunate enough to work a couple of part time jobs, so nothing that it was like completely demanding of my time and energy. So I got to dedicate a lot of my time and energy to the squad. I to do a lot of appearances Detroit.

which were in the middle of the day. So I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time doing game day things, doing different volunteer things, just all a lot of different events for the team. So I was more involved than some of the girls just by having the flexibility of my part-time job. So was...

I don't want to say it was like an hourly, because every week was like different. Sometimes we would, you know, 20 hours for the week and sometimes it was like seven to 10. But our practices usually lasted about three hours. So we practiced in the evening from six to nine PM, two days a week, except for the first season. The first season we did three days a week because we auditioned so late in the season. The audition happened in...

I want to say it was the beginning of July, which the auditions happened in April. So they happened way back. So we were like behind the curve. So we had to practice three days a week my very first season. But then was kind of going into your other question. My very first season, we were learning so much choreography. And from year to year, they keep a lot of that choreography. So

Ambre (17:12)
Hmm.

Nicole Moffatt (17:12)
the veterans already know that choreography going into the next year. And so like this very first year, there was so much to learn, so much to prepare. And some of it happened in real time, you know, after the first game, we're like, okay, we need to do things a little bit differently for the next game and do things a little bit differently for the next game. My coach was, she has done this for years and years. So she knew a little bit of what to expect.

⁓ She did it for the NBA and for college teams. So she was like prepared, but only so prepared. You know, there was just things that we just didn't know to expect for. So we did practice a lot more my first season. And then in my second season, we came into it knowing a lot of the things that we were supposed to know. So we didn't have to practice as much.

Teryn (17:59)
Did you keep a lot of the same grills on the squad from year one to two and three?

Nicole Moffatt (18:03)
So everyone has to re-audition every year, ⁓ which I'm sure if you saw the Dallas show, you have to re-audition every year. It's the same for our team. ⁓ And I'll tell you, I kind of like it that way, just because to know that everyone's, yeah, and to like, exactly to earn it, you want it. If you're handed the job, you're like, you don't want it as much. ⁓

Teryn (18:05)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Gotta earn your spot.

Nicole Moffatt (18:28)
And so because we have to re audition every year, yes, some girls stay on, some girls don't. We've had girls leave because they got pregnant or they were having a wedding that year or they wanted to focus on their career in a different way. There were some girls that didn't make it back another year. So most, I would say year to year.

60 to 70 % of the girls stay.

Ambre (18:54)
Hmm.

Teryn (18:54)
Yeah, that makes sense. And you brought up the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders documentary show. And I think that most people are probably hearing what you're saying. I am, and I'm relating it back to what I've seen on that show. ⁓ So in that series, especially this most recent season, they shine a light on the cheer world. And it's really opened people's eyes to how demanding it is, like how high stakes it can be. I mean, I know the Lions are a little bit different.

than the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, but it's a job nonetheless, you know, and you're putting a lot of time and energy into that. So I'm sure you've seen it. It sounds like you've seen it. ⁓ What do you think people often miss about just the reality of being a professional cheerleader and how, I mean, how much that puts on your life and your body and all that?

Nicole Moffatt (19:45)
Yeah, think, okay, so I really liked the show. I think that it was a pretty accurate depiction of what Dallas has a legacy that Detroit doesn't have yet. And so it is more demanding to make a team like Dallas and they have, you know, girls auditioning from all over the world for their team. So I would say it's a little bit more prestigious than Detroit,

Ambre (19:51)
Mm. ⁓

Nicole Moffatt (20:09)
But I think that one thing that people don't know about the team just from looking at it, but I do feel like they showed much more this last season, is what a true sisterhood it is. Like I met my best friends on that ⁓ team and like they are ride or die girls.

Ambre (20:27)
Mm.

Nicole Moffatt (20:33)
And I mean if I called them right now they would all answer they would be like, hey, are you okay? What's going on? It is truly a sisterhood. You're in the trenches with each other you there's a lot of emotional things that happen But those are the people that know exactly what you're going through they know the highs the lows they know how good game day feels like they know

you know, the intensity of the workouts and the practice and what it puts on your body. But they also like have your back so hard. And so I think that like the sisterhood of it is something you can't see from us performing other than us all moving in sync together. You don't know how close we are.

Teryn (21:21)
I have a really dumb question because I just, you're gonna laugh at me, but do they in Detroit, do they do makeovers? Because if so, were you the token redhead for those people who can't see Nicole, she's a redhead. I laugh because obviously I'm just joking about that because obviously like diversity is great and we love, we talk a lot about that on our show. We love like diversity and like representation.

Nicole Moffatt (21:33)
Yeah.

Ambre (21:36)
Thank

Teryn (21:49)
But did they do that? Did they do that to anybody? Did they make anyone change their hair color drastically to have more diversity looks of people on your squad?

Nicole Moffatt (21:59)
⁓ okay. So the answer is yes, we did do makeovers. was actually two redheads when I did it. Well, three, three for part of it. So I would, I was like the darker redhead and then there was like a lighter redhead. ⁓ but yes, we did do makeovers. It wasn't like, I mean, did you guys watch America's Next Top Model where they're like, okay, you have to shave your head and you have to, no.

Teryn (22:04)
That's awesome.

Love that.

Okay.

Yeah. Yeah.

Ambre (22:23)
Mm-hmm.

Nicole Moffatt (22:24)
It was not like that. They like made us look like the best version of ourselves. And I think that more than anything played into our confidence and showing us like what our potential is. ⁓ don't think that, I think that maybe a couple of girls, like if they had dark hair and they needed like a little bit lighter hair, they gave them highlights or blonde hair. They were like, okay, we're gonna, you know, give you guys some low lights.

Ambre (22:33)
Hmm.

Nicole Moffatt (22:51)
But I don't think it was anything really dramatic. think that they just turned, for me, it felt like they just turned us all into the best version of ourselves.

Teryn (23:00)
Yeah, that's cool.

Ambre (23:47)
So from that show, and I think just from at least personally watching dancers and cheerleaders perform, we know that athleticism is a huge part of it. Huge. Tell us, you so you're practicing with the squad six to nine PM, three days a week, and then two days a week in your second and third seasons. Aside from those practices, was it just going over routines and practicing that or was there...

you know, strength and conditioning, or did you do those sorts of workouts on your own? What was the physical training component of being a cheerleader?

Nicole Moffatt (24:23)
So we did have a partnership with a really nice gym in the area in Michigan. And so we were able to use the entire facility at our leisure. So we were encouraged to go to the gym like four to six days a week to do strength and conditioning on our own. But we did start every practice out with a little bit of strength building, either working on strength or technique.

⁓ So usually the first like 30 minutes was dedicated to working on strength building or technique, dance technique. ⁓ And then we got into working on our choreography. So it definitely was, it's a large component of the job. But once you get to game day, you're like thankful that you did that.

Teryn (25:05)
Yeah.

Ambre (25:05)
Yeah,

I'm sure. Totally side note, I've loved strength and conditioning and I thought about a career in that and then obviously pivoted several times since then. But back at University of Florida, I trained the dance team. They were called the Dazzlers for the university and they were some of the hardest working humans I've ever met. I mean, I was

you know, because I had trained like the golf team and the basketball team and the volleyball team and the side, you know, like a bunch of other different sports throughout my time and the dancers, they were the ones with the best work ethic. You you just tell them what, like where to run, how fast, how high to jump, and they will exceed, exceed whatever you're asking. It was amazing. So I have so much respect for the athleticism of dancers and cheerleaders. It's amazing.

Nicole Moffatt (25:55)
I definitely believe that. I mean, I think it comes back for me. Like every dancer that I know had a ballet teacher growing up that would like not take it. know, they were like, you have to be quiet. You have to like, yeah. And you have to like, if somebody's given a correction, you have to listen and correct it yourself. So there's an intensity to just the way you learn and the way you pick things up and you learn it at a really young age.

Ambre (26:03)
Mm.

Teryn (26:07)
Tense.

I'm really interested because I think let's, I want to get into that too, because now you're kind of in that world. But before we move into that, what was game day like? Like what, like, was it so exciting? What, I mean, obviously at the time it was like, maybe not the most exciting to be like watching those games, but like you're still kind of in your own little world, right? Where you get to like be in front of all the crowd and all that stuff. just like, what was that like?

Nicole Moffatt (26:46)
Game day is electric. Like it is. Yes.

Ambre (26:48)
Wait, will you start from like waking up? Like your alarm goes off. Start from there.

Teryn (26:53)
One o'clock game Eastern time.

Nicole Moffatt (26:54)
Really, really

days. So your alarm goes off at like 4.30 in the morning. You have to wake up, rinse off your spray tan, pack your food, pack your clothes, be out the door by like 5.36. We had to be to the stadium by six because we had to be out on the field by 6.30. So we were the first ones that had to be out there practicing.

Teryn (26:57)
Yeah.

Nicole Moffatt (27:20)
There's, and I don't know all the specifics to this, but there's like certain regulations where they have to like make sure the field doesn't have any like debris on it and stuff like that. So we had to practice before that happened. So we had to be out there early. We would do our practice, run through all of our routines, any final touches or anything that we needed to talk about. We would go back to our locker room and then we would start, we had a,

Ambre (27:33)
Mm.

Nicole Moffatt (27:46)
a hair and makeup team that came every game day. And so they started doing our hair, started doing our makeup. And it takes a while to get 30 girls full hair and makeup. So usually it would take from like 7 a.m. to like 9, 10 a.m., two or three hours to get ready. And then some of the girls, depending on like what they needed,

Ambre (27:57)
Yeah.

Nicole Moffatt (28:13)
Some of the girls were picked to do like ⁓ game day appearances. So it would be things that happened before the game starts, ⁓ just like on things around the stadium. So we had to be all ready for that. And we would go out before that would usually be an hour before the game started. And then we did the pregame performance, which happens like right before the game starts.

So we would have to be down, if it was a one o'clock game, have to be down there by like 1230, ready to perform at like 1245. Everyone's like just starting to get there, just starting to sit. That was our first performance. And then from there we would go and usually that's when they would do like the national anthem. So you're on the field then. Like after you do that performance, you go and you're on the field. And then we would split up into four corners

⁓ It's actually funny. We would do it by height. So you can't tell that everyone's like, you know, there's a girl who's like five two and a girl who's like five nine, because everyone's put in their height group. And we're all spread out through the four corners. And we stay there each quarter. And then we rotate ⁓ each quarter. And between quarters, we have performances. So we perform in the end zones.

Ambre (29:24)
Mm.

Nicole Moffatt (29:31)
Halftime, that was like, depending on whether they had, Detroit had its own performer for halftime, or sometimes we got to perform with the performers. So halftime, sometimes we performed and sometimes we just went back and changed our outfits. But the day itself lasts 12, 13 hours by the time you're done. And I think like,

the hardest part is that you are just, you're just going, going, going, going. You forget that you're like, I haven't gone to the bathroom in six hours. I haven't drank anything in six hours. Like, and so at the end of the game, it catches up to you. You're like, I am so hungry. I am so thirsty. And the adrenaline starts to wear off, but there's only eight home games a season. And so if you think about it, like,

Ambre (30:03)
Hahaha.

Teryn (30:05)
Yeah.

Yeah.

I was just gonna say, yeah.

Ambre (30:14)
Mmm,

exhausted.

Nicole Moffatt (30:21)
You know, you can do anything for like only eight times. Yeah.

Teryn (30:24)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Ambre (30:25)
Ape Days.

Teryn (30:27)
That makes sense.

Ambre (30:28)
Do, did you ever travel to away games?

Nicole Moffatt (30:31)
We didn't travel to away games. I got the opportunity to travel for the draft one year, which was really cool. But we don't do away games.

Ambre (30:35)
Mm.

Got it.

Teryn (30:39)
So Nicole, now you've transitioned your career to teaching Pilates and maybe other types of ⁓ exercise. You're gonna have to clarify, because I wasn't sure. I think you've, have you done cycle too?

Nicole Moffatt (30:54)
I've not done cycle. I've done dance cardio, HIIT training, personal training, functional strength training, ⁓ mat Pilates and reformer Pilates.

Teryn (30:55)
⁓ okay.

amazing. So she's got, she's got all the certifications pretty much. what drew you to that? And are you in Nashville now?

Nicole Moffatt (31:07)
I've done a couple things.

I am a Nashville Yacht.

Teryn (31:14)
I

love Nashville. That's great. So yeah, what drew you to doing that other than your sisters out there too, right?

Nicole Moffatt (31:16)
Yeah. ⁓

She is, she is. So she actually drew me to the city of Nashville. I mean, as you know, she has two kids and I'm like obsessed with them.

Teryn (31:27)
she frozen for you.

Nicole Moffatt (31:29)
So I, again, you know, I feel like sometimes you just stumble into things and then you find out that you love them along the way. Fitness was one of those things that I was not sure what I wanted to do when I decided to be done with dance. I wanted something that I felt passionate about, something that kept me in shape, something that felt semi-performative, because I do like the performance aspect of it.

Ambre (31:35)
Thank

Nicole Moffatt (31:55)
something that kept me connected with people and something that kept me away from the desk. I am not a desk girly. like to just, I like to walk and talk and all day long. And I knew I wasn't meant being in an office setting. And so I was drawn to the world of fitness. I started teaching at a dance cardio studio, ⁓ actually in Detroit.

Ambre (32:07)
you

Nicole Moffatt (32:22)
And my career kind of took me in different places. I've lived in different ⁓ states because of it. ⁓ And like you said, I'm in Nashville now. ⁓ Fitness actually partially drew me here, but also my sister drew me I am actually newer to the world of Pilates. I was kind of deciding, like, where do I want to take my career? I think when you think about your career, you think like,

Do I wanna do this forever? Do I see myself progressing in this? Where do I wanna take this? And I thought to myself, what can I do for a long time? What do I feel like is a really good movement that feels good in your body, that's safe in your body, that I could now until I'm 80 years old? And Pilates, for me, was the answer.

And so I decided to pursue reformer Pilates because I was like the longevity of doing this movement is it's so doable for the rest of my life. And, you know,

Along the way, I just found out that I loved it.

Teryn (33:31)
You know, that's a great catch us all in a Pilates class after this, because I'm inspired.

Ambre (33:35)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Yes. And your posture is also inspiring aside from talking about Pilates. Let's just step straight.

Nicole Moffatt (33:37)
Mm-hmm. You'll love it.

Teryn (33:39)
Yeah, I'm straight.

Nicole Moffatt (33:42)
Thank you.

Ambre (34:41)
Nicole, I keep hearing this theme from you, you know, that ⁓ you're open to all of these possibilities and opportunities and random Facebook messages. You're not sure if they're spam, but you're open to all of these, you know, opportunities and possibilities and you keep reinventing yourself.

Nicole Moffatt (34:54)
Yeah

Ambre (34:59)
And the flavor kind of stays the same. know, like there's this through line of movement and expression and artistry and performance, but it's really inspiring that you've been able to reinvent yourself in so many different chapters. Do you have any, any advice for people who may find themselves at a crossroads or find themselves at

⁓ a transition, how to find some of the confidence that you have found in all of these different transitions of your own.

Nicole Moffatt (35:31)
I think that that's a challenging question because you only know what you know, right? In that very moment, you only know the tools that you have in your tool.

I think what you said in the beginning, staying open and being able to receive opportunities and like look at them and be like, maybe I could do this. I think that, you know, there's been times in my life where I've thought, ⁓ that's too hard or, I can't do this. Or I don't want to start over. But every single time that I have given myself the opportunity to start over or to try something new, I've loved it.

I loved, so I think it's doing it once and then that one time will carry you through to do it again. And then you'll try it again and you'll try again. And each time you gain confidence and you build trust in yourself that you can do something new and you can try something new. And maybe you do fail at it, but I think like, even when I have failed at things, it's never been a failure. It's been like a learning opportunity and

Ambre (36:17)
you

Nicole Moffatt (36:34)
maybe I failed because I wasn't supposed to do that or, know, I was supposed change the course and do something different. ⁓ And so I think it's like being open to the opportunities and like not looking at them as like successes or failures, but learning and building that trust in yourself.

Ambre (36:52)
I love that. I don't know if this is a dictionary definition or just a podcast, something I was listening to definition, but I heard at some point that the idea behind building confidence is that you try something and fail and then try it again or try something else and succeed and you think to yourself, ⁓ well, you know, even if I try something new, doesn't go well, I'm going to be okay. So it just feels like

Nicole Moffatt (37:15)
Mm-hmm.

Ambre (37:16)
after maybe dozens or even hundreds of auditions and attempts and, you know, things like that, that you have succeeded at cracking that code and building that sort of confidence, which is super awesome to hear you talk about.

Nicole Moffatt (37:28)
Thank you. I'm still still in the process of cracking the code. I don't know if we ever fully cracked the code. But we're we're getting there.

Teryn (37:32)
Aren't we all? Yeah.

Ambre (37:32)
Aren't we all? Yes.

That's fair.

Teryn (37:37)
that's amazing. ⁓ Nicole, if you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Nicole Moffatt (37:39)
Thank you.

Yeah.

This is another hard one. ⁓ Gosh, think that because like, you you only know what you know. And there's so many things that I feel like in my 20s, I really rushed through. Like I was like, what's next? What's next? What's next? And I think part of that is in my personality. Part of it is being a 20 year old and part of it is just like not absorbing everything that's happening right in the moment. And I wish that I could have told myself to slow down.

and really savor the moments because you don't always get them back. You don't always get to do that moment over again. And even if it's not exactly what you pictured, like that moment is special for what it is. And I think I wish I could tell my 20 year old self to just live in those moments and to savor them and to like feel how truly special they are for what they are.

Ambre (38:40)
Slow down is what I heard there. Slow down. Okay, but don't slow down on this one. We have a really fast question for you. Game day adrenaline or New York stage lights, which is better?

Nicole Moffatt (38:43)
Yeah.

Ooh.

You know, I think this answer might shock some people if they're listening. I'm gonna say game day adrenaline because if you have ever been in Ford Field, it is electric in that stadium. I've been to other stadiums and I am so biased. I think Ford Field is the loudest, most vibrant, most electric stadium. The fans, I mean, they are like.

Ambre (39:06)
Thank

No.

Nicole Moffatt (39:20)
die hard for that city. It is the most, yeah, it is the most prideful city, even not winning the games. People are still so passionate and so there for it. I mean, the electricity in that stadium is unlike any other.

Teryn (39:21)
yeah, have to be.

Ambre (39:27)
You

Teryn (39:37)
Plus you got the benefit of having a dome. You never had to be out there in the rain or the snow or the sweltering heat.

Nicole Moffatt (39:45)
Yes.

Yes. I don't think that the elements are for me.

Teryn (39:50)
No, no, no, no.

No, that's amazing. Okay, Nicole, I know you said slow down, be where your feet are, but we want to know like what is next for you in your life? Like where do you see yourself? Do have any big goals or dreams that you're chasing at the moment or are you just riding out where you are right now?

Nicole Moffatt (40:13)
So I am really happy where I'm at right now. I have found a Pilates studio that I vibe really well with. My boss is like the most incredible human. I look up to her so much. She's like the hardest worker I've ever met. So I'm really enjoying this chapter, but I do kind of, I do think about where I want to take my fitness career. I think fitness is an interesting place right now because it is very saturated.

⁓ I think about what are the things that I love the most about the fitness industry and it's always the people in the community. So with that being said, I probably want to move into a space, whether it's virtual or whether it's physical space where I can build my own community and make an impact in people's lives in the way that I want to. Cause I've seen it done a lot of ways that I like and that I dislike. And so

I think at this point in my career, that is something that I really want to take ownership of because I really, really cherish that element of it.

Teryn (41:19)
Yeah, that is a big yes for our crew because we're all about, I mean, with sports, we talk about this frequently on our podcast, but it's all about community, right? So building that like group of people who you can relate to and you can finally like speak the same language with and who, you know, have your back and all that stuff. So we, we love that. And I just want to say this is that the more I listen to you and I know we're both in our thirties now, but like

This just reminds me like how your parents are just so lovely. And I just, this is just making me think of them and how they've done such a good job raising such amazing humans, both you and your sisters, ⁓ like just lovely humans who are like, like they are from Michigan, a small, like you said, like kind of like this, the small town people, but like nothing like extravagant about them. And that, and I don't mean that in like a negative way, like they're just like,

very down to earth people, like look at what they've like created just like the sense of like you can do anything you wanna do and I love that. So shout out Tom and April.

Nicole Moffatt (42:22)
⁓ and April. Thank you, Taryn. That's so kind

of you to say. It's crazy that we've known each other for such a long time and seen each other through so many seasons of life. And my parents really were like the OG believers and they've never ever said, no, you can't do that or the world is too big. Like never. They were like, go after what you want. Like do it. If you get told no.

Teryn (42:34)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Nicole Moffatt (42:48)
You get told no, but why not try?

Teryn (42:49)
Yeah,

yeah, so cool. I love that.

Ambre (42:53)
Amazing. Well, Nicole, we know that our listeners are going to love hearing your story and probably take away a bunch of inspiration from this conversation. So from the bottoms of our hearts, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with us today. We've loved this conversation.

Nicole Moffatt (42:53)
Thank you.

Thank you guys so much for having me. It's been an honor to be on your podcast. I love having conversations like this. And I think that like with like-minded people, hopefully it reaches other like-minded people and we can build this community together.

Teryn (43:26)
Yeah, so great. Thank you again.

Ambre (43:26)
Love that.

Nicole Moffatt (43:28)
Thank you.