For the first time in Dallas ISD history, an early childhood center, home to three- and four-year-olds, has founded a cheerleading team. The Bulldog Pups at Arlington Park Early Childhood Center make up the cutest, most energy-filled pre-K team you can imagine.
The story of this team began before some of the kids were even born and before ESL teacher and Head Coach Elsy Tzab Espadas arrived at the school. From 2016 to 2020, Espadas was a long-term substitute at John Neely Bryan Elementary School. While there, she saw a teacher launch an after-school gymnastics team, and she knew then she wanted to start something similar, just not quite yet.
Fast forward some years later and her new school, Arlington Park, was deciding what extracurricular activities to put in place. As the group was kicking around ideas, Espadas said, “What about cheerleading? The children already like to scream, yell and move around, so this is something they would really enjoy.”
Arlington Park is one of the district’s more intimate and homey campuses with five classrooms and 74 students currently enrolled. “We’re a pretty small campus, so I was surprised when we ended up having 22 girls and one boy sign up for the team,” Espadas said.
After much preparation and practice, and with the help of Krystal Ellis, a team mom who is also an assistant principal at Francisco “Pancho” Medrano Junior High School, the tiny cheerleaders began to get more opportunities to cheer. Before Ellis made her way to Medrano as an AP, she had coached volleyball at L.G. Pinkston High School, and this is where the Bulldog Pups got their start. The pups followed Ellis to Medrano, where the Eagles cheering squad took them under their wing and helped boost their confidence for cheering at football games and practices.
“Cheering with these little ones made me feel like a big sister and gave me flashbacks to my childhood,” said Medrano Cheer Captain, Frida R. “It was an amazing experience because we could be someone they look up to.” Cheering became so much more than “something they can enjoy.”
Ellis said being a part of the cheer team has been a godsend to her own daughter, Kambry E. “I’ve seen so much growth in my daughter under Coach Espadas,” she said. “From her confidence to her pronunciation and diction in words. I hope they can continue this program.”
The Bulldog Pups will get to showcase the hard work they have put in on Saturday at 10 a.m., during the district’s pre-K registration event at Thomas Jefferson High School. Families will be able to complete their registration and enjoy hands-on activities, entertainment, and more.
“I want my kids to be exposed to more opportunities like this,” Espadas said. “I hope they continue to grow and learn and inspire more littles to cheer.”
