GIOIA is going into her fifth season as a member of the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders.
She joined us to discuss varying topics ranging from being a lifelong Denver Broncos fan to moving across the country to become and NFL cheerleader to her favorite movies and foods.
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Photos courtesy of Denver Broncos
PDC: Talk about your dance background and what led you to becoming a member of the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders.
GIOIA: I grew up as a competition kid in a dance studio in Tampa, Florida. I was on the pom team in my high school and then I went to the University of Central Florida, where I studied dance as part of my degree. I actually minored in dance and was on multiple hip hop crews,. When I moved to Orlando, I got really involved in the hip hop community out there. My dad is actually from Colorado Springs, so he raised me as a Denver Broncos fan, so when it came time for me to graduate college and I was trying to figure out my next step, I knew that if I was going to dance professionally that it was going to be for the Denver Broncos. So I made the the trip out here for auditions, made it through finals week and then packed up my life and drove across the country.
PDC: So you essentially decided your future based on your love of the Denver Broncos?
GIOIA: 100 percent. I am a true, die-hard fan of this football team.
PDC: What were your emotions like when you found out that you had made the Broncos Cheerleaders?
GIOIA: I didn’t believe it, I thought it was a joke. I thought that I would wake up the next morning and get a phone call that there had been some mistake. I really didn’t fully believe it until we finished training camp.
PDC: So you moved to Denver without a full-time job or knowing where you were going to live or anything? Was that drive from Florida to Denver full of anxiety?
GIOIA: The drive wasn’t bad, I had my dog with me and everything was great. There was a little bit of anxiety, when you move your life across country with no set plans except your dream job, you are kind of forced to figure it out on the fly. At that time, it was my teammates that really helped me get settled in. I ended up moving in with one of my teammates and they really all kind of looked out for me and made sure that I was taken care of, had a place to live, knew where the closest grocery store was, they were really there for me.
PDC: Did you get a job fairly quickly after moving to Denver?
GIOIA: Yes! I took a position with the Broncos and have been doing that for the past for years.
PDC: Coming from Orlando, is it safe to assume that you did not have a lot of winter clothes?
GIOIA: I did not have anything. I’m from Tampa and I went to school in Orlando and we basically live in jean shorts, tank tops and flip flops. I did not have a winter coat or winter boots, so that was probably the biggest adjustment in moving up here.
PDC: Was it a complete culture shock when you got to experience your first Colorado snow storm?
GIOIA: I think it really hit home that I had to get used to the winter and the snow, which I actually love now. I love to ski. It happened one morning at 6 a.m. when I had to take my dog for a walk outside and that was a totally new experience for me. You have no choice, you have to take your dog for a walk, but it was a little different that walking around in 100 degrees and humidity.
PDC: Once you were settled in and had your job in the Broncos’ corporate office, what was the biggest change emotionally for you from the big move?
GIOIA: The biggest change was not having my family around. I had mentioned that I was raised a Broncos fan and that’s because my father relocated to Tampa to play for the Buccaneers. Not only did my dad play in the NFL but my mom cheered in the NFL. That’s part of the reason I am such an NFL fan, it’s in my blood. A lot of the women on our team are from areas closer to Denver such as Kansas or Nebraska. It’s easier for them to get home on the weekends or our weeks off, but a flight from Denver to Florida is not cheap, so I get to see my family maybe once a year. But the community out here is something else; they are friendly and kind and welcoming. This is Denver, a city of transplants with people from all over moving here because it is an amazing place to live.
PDC: How about physically, did it take you a while to get used to the altitude?
GIOIA: I’m still not used to the altitude! I’m wondering if I ever will be. For fun, I really enjoy climbing mountains and in Colorado, we have 54 14ers (mountains over 14,000 feet) and it’s kind of a checklist where you try to climb them all. So far, I have done 20 and I hike all the time. Typically I am in some type of high altitude situation and it does not get easier. When it’s cold outside, you think you’re acclimated. We have games in September, October and November and you feel like you can finally breathe on the field. Then December comes and when it’s cold, the air is so thin that I don’t know how the football players do it.
PDC: You mentioned that you have loved the Broncos for your entire life. Do you remember what your first game day was like?
GIOIA: My dad always said there is no crying in football. That’s a saying and I remember thinking the entire time during my first game that I was going to cry because there is nothing like a game in that stadium. I cheered on our Super Bowl 50 team at the Super Bowl in Levi’s Stadium and there’s still nothing like a game at Mile High. It’s magical. The fans are absolutely insane in the best kind of way and the feeling in the stadium, the energy is electric. The elements at Mile High make it feel that much more like football season.
PDC: You’re going into your fifth season as a member of the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders, what are some of the highlights so far from your career?
GIOIA: The Super Bowl in San Francisco and the military tour I went on last year are at the top of my list. Super Bowl 50 was an experience was like a once in a lifetime thing. The coolest thing was our fans’ support. I actually paid as a fan to go see us in Super Bowl XLVII the year before I made the team when I was a senior in college. The Super Bowl is always around my birthday and I’ve said since I was little that if the Broncos made the Super Bowl, I was going to go. So here I was, a senior in college and I went to New York and there was a lot of NFL fans in general. My biggest takeaway from Super Bowl 50 was that Broncos Country came out to the game and they were loud. As far as the cheerleaders at Super Bowl 50, we arrived Thursday and it was a week of go-go-go! We had TV appearances every day starting early in the morning, were out in the community doing meet and greet events, had marketing appearances and rehearsals, but that’s the only way to have it!
PDC: Talk about the military tour and how that came about for you.
GIOIA: I was selected by my teammates in my fourth season to go on a military tour with Pro Tour Productions and Armed Forces Entertainment. The tour I went on was with representatives from other NFL teams including cheerleaders the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals and Washington Redskins and players from the Packers. We went to the Bahamas, Curacao and Guantanamo Bay and spent time meeting with service men and women during the week of the Super Bowl basically bringing them a piece of home. The military is so important to our team. One of our biggest charity functions is Cheer for the Troops. It was a really rewarding and unique experience.
PDC: Now that you are a captain on the Broncos Cheerleaders, how fulfilling is it to be able to nurture the new girls that come in since the veterans took such good care of you when you first arrived?
GIOIA: It is no longer about me, when you become a captain, it is about all of your other teammates. It’s about making sure that the rookies feel comfortable and are ready for game day and that they are getting the experience that they deserve. It’s no longer about me, I’ve had my time where my captains were helping me and now it’s time for me to flip that switch and insure that the DBC legacy is being carried forward. It’s really like the best part of the job.
PDC: Is there anyone in particular that made the team that you’ve taken under your wing and maybe look back on like you made a difference in that person’s life?
GIOIA: We have this thing on our team called “Business Partners” that is kind of like a mentorship throughout the year. Each person is paired up and it’s typically a vet with a rookie or a younger tenured teammate. This year, my BP, her name is Miranda. She actually just graduated from CU and had come to my prep classes. I did a 10-week prep class in the off-season last year to prepare the ladies for auditions. She came to my prep classes and I was blown away by her from the very beginning. I tried to give her my tips and tricks, but she really didn’t need my help at all. Now it’s come full circle that she’s my business partner and it’s very special to me.
PDC: Let’s switch gears to some of the fun stuff. What are some of your favorite movies?
GIOIA: My favorite movies are Remember the Titans and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. “Remember the Titans” is very similar to my life story with my dad playing football and then was a coach and I was the coach’s daughter, always on the football field. I grew up on the football field, that was my life. “Ace Ventrua” because it is hilarious and I love movies that make you laugh.
PDC: Who are some of your favorite movie stars?
GIOIA: Johnny Depp is number one! Jim Carrey, I just really love humor.
PDC: What about TV shows? Any favorites?
GIOIA: I am obsessed with Gilmore Girls. I grew up watching that show and if you know anything about it, Lorelai Gilmore is obsessed with coffee, she speaks way too fast, she drives a jeep and I just feel like I’m living Lorelai Gilmore’s life. I’m also watching Scandal on Netflix at the moment. I’m so hooked into the storyline that I have to finish it! Definitely a binge-watch show!
PDC: What are some of your favorite foods?
GIOIA: My favorite meal is a cheeseburger and fries.I like to try new places and different burgers, but I really like a place in Denver called Ale House.
PDC: Since burgers are super healthy, what about a guilty pleasure food?
GIOIA: My favorite guilty pleasure food is chips and salsa. When choosing a restaurant, I will go to the place that has the better chips and salsa. We have a place in the Highlands neighborhood here called El Camino and they have the best chips and salsa. I will go there specifically to get a basket of chips with salsa.
PDC: You can go anywhere in the world. What would be your dream vacation and why?
GIOIA: I would go to Italy. I’m Italian and I would love to experience Italy. There’s so much history there with the Roman Empire and the food, I want to eat all of the authentic Italian food. I think it would be really cool to see where my family is from, it would be awesome to dive into that culture.
PDC: Whenever your time with the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders comes to an end, what would be your dream job and why?
GIOIA: When I am done with my time on the Broncos, I would like to move to the mountains and open a dance studio in Aspen. That’s my end-all dream. Part of that dream is influencing kids’ lives and I think that it’s really important that kids have good role models in all aspects of their lives. Teaching an extra curricular activity is something that can help develop kids their potential. When I was younger, my dance teacher really influenced my life and my aspirations and I want to be that for someone.
PDC: You’ve mentioned that you’ve loved the Broncos your whole life. Who is your all-time favorite Broncos player?
GIOIA: My absolute all-time favorite Broncos player is Floyd Little. Floyd “The Franchise” Little. He came to our team at a time when we needed somebody like him. He’s called “The Franchise” because he’s the reason why the Denver Broncos are still in Denver. Without him, who knows what would have happened. He’s a phenomenal player, a Hall of Famer and all, but he’s the reason the Broncos are here. He played here from 1967-75 and I feel like sometimes he is not talked about as much as he should be, but he’s why the team is still here.
Fans can follow GIOIA on Twitter @DBC_Gioia and Instagram @DBC_Gioia
