Faith Ward has opened up about the challenges she faced during her rookie season with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, saying the tough feedback from Kelli Finglass and Judy Trammell ultimately helped her grow. After facing controversy over past social media posts and unauthorized overseas interviews, Ward says she took accountability and believes she has regained Finglass' trust. The Australian cheerleader is now auditioning for a second season, hoping to continue her DCC journey.Moving half way across the world to pursue a dream is never easy. It was even tougher for Faith Ward when she joined one of the nation’s toughest cheerleading programs. The Australian entertainer faced criticism, culture shock and the glare of the media during her first year as a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. But she says the setbacks helped her grow and she feels like she’s earned back the trust of DCC director Kelli Finglass while trying out for another season with the squad.Faith Ward reflects on Kelli Finglass' tough guidance during America's SweetheartsFaith Ward quickly became one of the standout personalities on America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Originally from New Zealand and raised in Australia, she entered the team as an international recruit after being discovered while auditioning for Moulin Rouge in Europe.Although her path to making the squad included several difficult moments, Ward says she never wanted to change who she was to fit expectations.ID@undefined Caption not available."It can be hard. I'm not going to lie. I definitely came into this experience being like, 'Okay, Faith, you need to try and fit into this box and try and be this America's sweetheart,' but I'm also not going to lose myself throughout this process."She credits DCC director Kelli Finglass for encouraging authenticity from the very beginning."The first thing [DCC director] Kelli [Finglass] said on the final day when I was trying out was to stay true to yourself and be authentically you. I took that advice quite literally and thought, 'You know what? I'm going to be an Australian sweetheart. I'm going to try and bring my energy and what I have to offer to this team to make my dream a reality,'" she continues."That was something that I definitely wanted to showcase to also let other young girls know that you don't have to change yourself to fill a certain role. You can bring that into the role that you're trying to fill."During the season, Ward faced scrutiny after old social media photos resurfaced and later found herself in trouble for participating in overseas media interviews without receiving approval. While those moments created tension with Finglass and choreographer Judy Trammell, Ward insists the criticism helped her mature rather than discourage her."I am still young, navigating my 20s, trying to figure out this whole adventure. I didn't know I was going to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader," she tells EW."I learned a valuable lesson from those small mistakes. I take accountability. I look up to Kelli and Judy a lot. I get a lot of constructive criticism throughout the show, but I don't take that as they're having a dig at me. I take it more as they see potential in me and they see me on this team. So they're going to give me the feedback because if they didn't, then it would just be like, 'Oh, we don't even give her the help or advice.'"ID@undefined Caption not available.Faith Ward says she has regained Kelli Finglass' trust while chasing second DCC seasonAway from the cameras, Ward says her relationship with the leadership improved significantly. She believes viewers only witness a small portion of what actually happens inside the organization."Cameras only see 2 percent of what really goes on. There's so much more behind the scenes. I actually was fortunate enough to get booked on the Texas Live Tour with DCC not long after that. I was one of the two only rookies that got to go and I performed a solo," she explains. "I do definitely think I've earned Kelli's trust back, and she understands misunderstandings."Ward also laughed off the unexpected debate surrounding her signature ponytail, which became a talking point among Cowboys fans during the season. She says the hairstyle was approved by Finglass and was never meant to become a controversy.Now, her attention is fixed on earning another year with the team. Ward says returning as a veteran has always been part of her plan because the first season is spent learning at an overwhelming pace. While the official roster has not yet been announced, she remains optimistic that her journey with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is only beginning.