Paige Zulkoski, a FishHawk native, made her dreams a reality this summer as she was named a Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleader for the 2025-26 season.
“Growing up in Tampa, I’ve always loved the Bucs; it’s been my team since day one,” said Zulkoski. “It’s always been a dream to dance on the sidelines and was the only team I wanted to try out for.”
Zulkoski discovered her love for dance and performing at Brandon School of Dance Arts at an early age. There she learned the styles of dance, including jazz, ballet, hip-hop and contemporary. She started dancing competitively at age five and continued through her high school years.
“My dance teachers have been there with me through everything, and they have shown me sides of dance that I have never seen before,” said Zulkoski.
After graduating from Newsome High School in 2020, Zulkoski attended Florida State University (FSU), where she graduated with her bachelor’s in sports management and a minor in hospitality. At FSU, Zulkoski was a part of the club dance team, Seminole Dance Force, and served as the senior co-captain.
Upon her graduation at Florida State, Zulkoski felt like her dancing career wasn’t over, so she decided to try out for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleading squad.
In July, Zulkoski finished training camp, and the Buccaneers officially welcomed her as a Bucs cheerleader.
“It means the world to me,” said Zulkoski when asked what it meant for her to be a Bucs cheerleader growing up in Tampa. “I never thought that this would be my life. It has always been a dream, but having it actually be a reality makes it so special.”
On August 9, the Buccaneers hosted their first preseason game against the Titans and Zulkoski participated in her first game day.
“It was surreal; it was very special. Just stepping onto the field and hearing the crowd was a different experience than I had ever experienced before. Just hearing everyone and honestly feeling supported by all of the veterans and [coach Anna], it was the best feeling I could have ever asked for,” Zulkoski said, reflecting on her first game day experience.
In addition to cheering for her rookie season, Zulkoski also teaches dance at a local studio in FishHawk. Through teaching, she has been able to reflect on her dance journey and be a role model for the next generation.
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