Fans of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders voted for their favorite in the 2009 MVC Survivor Contest.

The winner was three-year veteran Jessica, and we’ve got a couple of photos of her and her award.

At the MVC Year-end Banquet

[MVC  Survivor 2009]

[Jessica at Vikings.com]

[Vikings Cheerleaders Open Call Auditions are April 10th]

Click here to check out photos from last weekend’s action!

The Vikings are still playing but the fans have spoken and three-year veteran Jessica is the 2009 Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders Survivor.

Special thanks for contest support go to:
PurplePride.org
VikingsFanatic69.com
photographer Steven Griffeth
The MVC organization and Ms. Tami Krause.

[MVC Survivor History]

[Jessica at Vikings.com]

Photos from week 17 are up on NFL.com. Click here to see pics of the Dolphins, Broncos, Panthers, Cowboys, Texans, Vikings, Bills, Cardinals, Raiders, and Rams.

This week’s NFL Cheerleader gallery on SportsIllustrated.com features squads from the Chargers, Dolphins, Cowboys, Bucs, Jets, Bills, and Vikings. Click here to view the photos.

By Chad Courrier
Mankato Free Press

The stadium is full, the noise deafening.

It’s about 10 minutes before Sunday’s football game begins, and the Minnesota Vikings are in the tunnel, ready to take the Metrodome field.

The mascot roars though the inflatable Vikings ship on a motorcycle, followed by an explosion of nine flag wavers and 34 cheerleaders who form a spirited gauntlet for the players.

Kaylee comes running onto the field, pom poms held high, flashing her usual huge smile, and the squad quickly breaks into its first routine.

“It’s an adrenaline rush that I’ve never felt before,” she said. “It’s the most exciting time of the day.”

Kaylee, who grew up in North Mankato, is a first-year member of the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders, whose policy prohibits the publishing of last names. She grew up as a fan of the Vikings, watching games on TV with her parents Dave and Marcia and occasionally making her way up to training camp at Minnesota State.

“But I only went to one game before (this season),” she said.

Kaylee spent 13 years as student and teacher at Dance Express in Mankato. She graduated from Mankato West in 2006, then spent one semester at the University of Minnesota before transferring to Gustavus Adolphus, where she received a nursing degree in May.

Her dance coach at Gustavus pointed Kaylee toward professional cheerleading, and she thought about joining longtime friend Lexi Zimmermann, who is currently a cheerleader for the Minnesota Timberwolves. “I chose the Vikings, and I’m glad I did because of the season we’re having,” she said.

It’s been an enjoyable nine months for Kaylee, between the public appearances and the games. The Vikings cheerleaders do between 400 and 500 appearances per year, with each cheerleader doing one or two per week. Kaylee’s favorite was a charity function at Gillette Children’s Hospital, in part because she hopes to be a pediatrics nurse some day.

“The appearances are fun,” she said. “We see a lot of people who never get an opportunity to come to the games.”

Kaylee said she has three practices per week, including a two-hour refresher on game day. She gets paid for games and appearances, which makes it a nice part-time job.

On Sunday, she traveled to the game from her parents’ North Mankato home, where game-day excitement helped her answer the alarm at 3:30 a.m. and jump into her frozen car. She had to be on the field by 7:15, hair, makeup and outfit ready for two hours of pregame preparations.

Kaylee is on her feet throughout the game, finally leaving the Metrodome about an hour after the game ends.

“Game day is so exciting because you only have 10 of them (each season),” she said. “When my alarm went off (Sunday morning), I was already excited.”

She’s guaranteed one more home playoff game, and the cheerleaders don’t travel to road games. However, if the Vikings were to qualify for the Super Bowl in February, the cheerleaders would be there.

“I’m really hoping we go to Miami,” she said.

Kaylee hopes she can continue cheerleading in the future, though that will be determined after she finds a nursing job. Tryouts will be held again in April.

“I didn’t think it would be so tough to find a job,” she said. “The economy has made it tough. But I’m hoping January is a lucky month.”

If she finds a job that doesn’t fit with cheerleading, she at least has a lot of good memories from this season.

“Getting to know the rest of the girls has been great,” she said. “I have 33 new best friends.”

[Kaylee at Vikings.com]

Thanks to reader Steve who sent us a couple of photos of the Vikings Cheerleaders in their holiday uniforms from week #14 game against the Bengals.

[Vikings Cheerleaders Holiday Uniforms]

[Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders]

The newest NFL cheerleader gallery on SportsIllustrated.com features dance teams from the Cowboys, Chiefs, Colts, Vikings, Texans, Bucs, and Falcons. Click here to go to the photo pages.

Congratulations to 6-year veteran and three-time line captain Pamela who’s the MVC 2010 Pro Bowl representative.

Pamela graduated with honors from one of the nation’s top 10 liberal arts colleges. She interned for the United States Senate in Washington DC. She now works in merchandising for a Fortune 200 company.

Former Pro Bowl Cheerleaders on the sidelines before the game.

The former Pro Bowl MVCs, lined up at the end zone to watch as announcement was made after the end-of-the third quarter performance.

Pamela with her loved ones.

MVC Pro Bowl Cheerleaders and Viking Cheerleader Head Coach Tami Krause (far left)

Pamela and teammate Sarah the Vikings 2009 Pro Bowl Cheerleader

Pamela in 2008

[Pamela at Vikings.com]

NFL.com has new photos from Week 14 of the 2009-10 football season. With Christmas coming up next week, several NFL teams brought the santa’s helper outfits out of storage. I’ve never seen the Raiderettes dress for the holidays before. Sweet!

Click here to go there now.