Up Up and Away: Vikings Cheerleader Samantha rises up to be cover girl of the “Gold” Swimsuit Calendar

When it comes to achieving new heights, Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader Samantha knows all about maximizing one’s altitude, even as a six week-old! First of all, she grew up in Colorado cities at elevations over 5,000 feet. But even those heights were not enough for Samantha and her family. “When I was little, my dad, Bill, was a hot air balloon pilot, just for a fun hobby on the side,” Samantha explains. “Some of my favorite childhood memories involve waking up extremely early on weekends to go ballooning. It was a large part of my childhood and a family tradition, and my aunt is a pilot as well! So we would all get together on weekend, set the balloon up as the sun was rising, take a few flights and then all gather around the tailgate for brunch. It is such a unique hobby, and I am so blessed to have had this as part of my everyday life. My first flight was when I was six weeks old, youngest in Colorado history,” smiles Samantha. “You just cannot beat the tranquility of a hot air balloon ride, and not to mention the beautiful view of the Colorado Rockies!”

So it should be no surprise that the second year Vikings Cheerleader continues to reach new heights in her MVC career, this season as cover girl on the “gold” edition of their two swimsuit calendars. Samantha kindly shared with UltimateCheerleaders her experiences of being part of a football loving family, chasing down NFL cheerleaders for their autographs as a girl, her academic interests (including the first time UltimateCheerleaders mentions ‘Wigger’s diagram’), her passion for travel, and attending university where the two genders are kept three miles apart, at least some of the time.

Samantha’s early life was in Broncos country prior to moving to the land of Vikings. “I was born in Littleton, Colorado, and moved to Boulder, Colorado when I was four, then moved to Minnesota to attend college in 2007, and have been here ever since,” recounts Samantha. “My transition to Minnesota was an easy one, seeing as I have completely fallen in love with the state, and my brother, Willie, lives in Saint Paul. I also have a sister, Jessica who is in Chicago, only a short road trip or flight away!”

Football fan-hood was family tradition for Samantha, and she began following, literally, the activities of NFL cheerleaders at a young age. “Growing up we had season tickets to the Denver Broncos, and every Sunday my dad and I would get to the games early, go to the Bronco Barn and then literally run around the stadium to try to get ALL the cheerleaders signatures on their poster for that year,” Samantha recalls. “It was our little game to see if we could get all 32 each year. I think that is why I love doing appearances and autograph sessions so much, because I was once that little girl with her dad, stars in her eyes wanting to be an NFL cheerleader, and now, hard to believe that I am that cheerleader!”

Football was not only about being a fan, it created traditions and bonding for Samantha’s family. “Everyone in my family is huge football fans!” Samantha explains. “My parents are still season ticket holders, even though they have moved to a state that does not have a team, and have our original seats from Mile High Stadium! I hope they sell the seats when they tear down the MetroDome, I would definitely buy mine! My brother played growing up. My mom is from Nebraska, so she loves college football and my dad is the biggest Elway fan you will ever meet. It is just part of our family, part of our traditions. I love it! Football was always a family pastime, my brother, sister and I would fight over who got to go to the games with my dad, and if we were not at the games, my mom always had them on in the background while she baked on Sundays. I have lots of great family memories surrounding football,” smiles Samantha.

In addition to her interest in football and the Broncos Cheerleaders, you add a childhood of dance training, and voila, Samantha is on a path to the NFL sidelines herself. “I started dance when I was five years old, with the general technique classes: ballet, tap, jazz, et cetera,” Samantha recounts. “By the time I was in fourth grade, I was taking fourteen hours of classes at the studio each week! I continued studio dance through high school.”

In addition, dance teams became part of Samantha’s school extra-curricular activities. “I then joined my high school dance team as a freshman, and was co-captain sophomore year, captain my junior and senior years,” Samantha says. “Then, I auditioned for my college dance team in Minnesota via video tape, and was a part of that team for two years, but decided to study abroad my junior year in Galway, Ireland, and take senior year off.”

Dancing and teamwork were always a big part of Samantha’s life. I bet she spontaneously jumped, in step, into Riverdance performances in Ireland. In any case, Samantha jumped back into dance once she was back in Minnesota, and to finally hit the NFL sidelines. “I missed dancing, and I missed being part of a team,” Samantha explains. “I have always wanted to be an NFL cheerleader, and I have always been a dancer. So, when I entered into my last semester of college, I decided to try out for the MVC, and fulfill a childhood dream.”

Although Samantha attended try-outs alone, she soon met Blair, who this year is calendar girl for the “Purple” version of the swimsuit calendar. “I was so nervous; I had not danced in over two years, and was worried that I would stick out like a sore thumb,” Samantha recounts. “I remember meeting Blair at open auditions, and we were both there alone, and instantly, I mean INSTANTLY, we became best friends. We helped each other through the process and were rooting for each other to get the call the day after finals at Mall of America.”

“I was beyond shocked when I made it to training camp, through semi-finals, and then even more shocked when I received the call from Tami (Krause, Head Coach and Coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders) inviting me to the team,” Samantha remembers. “When I received the call, I was actually at my parents’ home in Arkansas, which has TERRIBLE cell reception. So I missed the call, and received a voicemail a quite a bit later. And while listening to said voicemail, I ran around the empty house screaming for joy, while my dog Ellie looked at me like I was some kind of freak! It was so surreal, and still to this day, I sometimes forget that I am ‘living the dream.’ But I am so glad I took the chance, because like the ‘Great One’ says, ‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.’ So to all the girls out there who are tentative about fulfilling the childhood dream, I say give it a shot what do you have to lose?!”

And as you would expect, Samantha’s football fanatic family loves that she is now part of the NFL, and she receives support from the special person in her life. “My parents LOVE that I am an MVC,” Samantha says. “They are very proud of me. But I think that my boyfriend of four years, John probably is the most excited about the whole thing. He gets to benefit from the two fifth row season tickets, and he loves that he is dating the cover model. He is so supportive of me, and all the time and effort that it takes to be on this team; I am really lucky to have him as my support system!”

Asked about her own best athletic endeavor, “My best sport outside of dance was track, I love running,” smiles Samantha. “I find it to be a stress reliever, and get some of my best thinking done on a long run.”

Would being in shape from hitting the road running be enough to prepare Samantha for the legendary Vikings Cheerleader boot camp? Samantha answers, “I have always been an avid runner, so I went into the workout thinking, ‘No sweat, I got this, I work out…’ Well, let’s just say they kick our butts. I have never sweat more in my life than during a LifeTime workout in mid July. They are amazing and the work outs definitely paid off and have gotten me game day ready!”

But there are many, many more dimensions to Samantha’s life. There is also the travel lover and the self proclaimed “nerd.” Samantha’s college experience was unique in that she attended schools with male and female campuses three miles apart. “I absolutely loved my college experience at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, CSBSJU,” Samantha exclaims. “Although they are technically two separate campuses, one boys and one girls, all the classes and facilities were integrated; minus the dorms that is. This unique set up gave me the opportunity to bond with Bennies, female students, in a way that I would not have had going to a traditional co-ed campus, while still getting to attend class and other college activities with Johnnies, male students. This school has the most hospitable atmosphere and community, filled with traditions and quirks that made it a really special place! For instance, I was able to attend Thanksgiving dinner every year, made by the monks on campus, attend concerts put on by the Joints Event Council, and of course ride the Link back and forth between the two campuses.”

The Link system provided Samantha with seeing another benefit of teamwork, and she wishes she could see it in other forms of mass transit. “There is a tradition at CSBSJU that you do not stand up from your seat until the person in front of you has gotten up,” Samantha explains. “I swear I cannot ride a bus anymore, and planes drive me crazy because it is not orderly and efficient like the Link!”

Another interesting aspect of the history of Samantha’s alma mater is that Saint John’s University has produced its own coarse-grained bread, Johnnie Bread, since 1856 and used the proceeds to fund projects such as the Abbey Church. Has Samantha tried and does she recommend Johnnie Bread? “Yes, I have had and highly recommend Johnnie bread!” Samantha answers, “They serve it in the dining facilities at both campuses, and it makes the best toast and sandwiches! It is made fresh by the monks each day, and you just cannot beat it!” Samantha smiles.

Samantha details her academic interests, saying, “I graduated with a Biology major, Sociology minor, and am a huge nerd! I loved college, spending time in the library, being a TA for the introductory biology classes and nursing Anatomy courses.”

In fact, Samantha’s Vikings on-line bio says Samantha would someday like to teach anatomy. Is dissection something she was intrigued by as a young girl, or something she grew accustomed to during her studies? “You know, I was never the kid who liked to dissect things,” responds Samantha, “I am a germ-a-phobe and don’t really like that kind of thing. But I did become accustomed to it through my studies, and ended up loving it because I liked seeing what I was learning about in a real situation. Like I said before, huge nerd,” smiles Samantha.

Of the aspects of anatomy and physiology, one of the things Samantha found particularly fascinating was, “Something that I always found interesting was the cardiac and neuro units,” explains Samantha. “I am really into learning the process of how things work and then applying them to real life, so physiology was my cup of tea! But I would have to say if I had to choose one item that has really stuck with me it would be the cardiac cycle: Wigger’s diagram, cardiac cycle and ejection fractions. I loved seeing how when you change one part of the situation/equation, what would result! I used to want to be a Pediatric Cardiologist, until I realized I would be in school until I was 30.”

But Samantha really loves her current job and seems a great fit. “I currently work for a consulting firm in the Twin Cities, and am working with a Global Manufacturing and Engineering client,” Samantha says. “My project is a global integration of SAP software to standardize all business processes worldwide. I am in charge of creating the training modules to teach our global employees how to use the new software, and I love it! It has been a really great change of pace for me. I love taking on new challenges and meeting new people, so the consulting world fits me perfectly!”

Also, Samantha loves travel and has seen much of Europe. Asked about her favorite European places, Samanatha responds, “I have been very fortunate in my travels through Europe, and have been to Ireland, England, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Malta. I have two favorite places, for different reasons.”

“My first favorite is Ireland, I studied abroad in Galway for six months, and it was amazing!” Samantha exclaims. “I lived in a cottage by the sea, and was invited to tea by an older Irish couple on a regular basis. Looking back on that experience, it does not even seem real, because it was just so perfect picturesque. I had adventures around the country, from Blarney in Cork to the Ring of Kerry, to Belfast and Dublin; I tried to see it all! You cannot beat the Irish hospitality, or the beauty of that country. It is my dream to go back someday soon.”

“My second favorite place is Switzerland,” Samantha continues. “I spent two weeks in Europe with my aunt, Lynn. Being from Colorado, I loved being nestled in a small mountain town. During the trip, we hiked the Alps, stayed at an inn on a lake in Interlaken. It is one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen, my pictures from that trip look fake, but it really was just THAT beautiful of a place.”

And this combination of loving football, dance, teamwork, adventure, and learning makes Samantha fit right in with the ultra-talented Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders squad. Asked about her favorite parts of being on the squad, Samantha responds, “My favorite part of being an MVC, besides game day, is the friendships I have gained. It is like a mini sorority. I have never been a part of a better group of women. Everyone on this team brings something to the table. They are all so driven, hardworking, accomplished, intelligent, genuine, and not to mention, beautiful. It is nice to be surrounded by a group of women with similar motivations and goals, I could not ask for a better group of friends.”

And throw in that the Vikings Cheerleaders travel some outside of Minnesota, and Samantha will be right there. “I was lucky enough to travel to Washington this summer to visit out troops, and it was amazing!” Samantha recounts. “I really liked that I was able to make a difference and brighten a few soldiers’ days while we were out there. It is one of my favorite memories so far.”

One of Samantha’s best memories so far in her Vikings Cheerleaders experience is when she and Blair, once upon a time two rookies to be, both alone at try-outs and soon fast friends, were announced this season to be the cover models for the purple and gold editions of the MVC swimsuit calendar prior to their second seasons on the team. “To share that moment with my best friend made it even more special and exciting!” Samantha describes.

Even as this season’s calendar was in its infancy, Samantha was enjoying the process. “The calendar shoot is a lot of fun, we get our hair and makeup done by Spalon Montage and you feel like s super model for the day!” Samantha says. “Plus we all get to hang out while we wait our turn to shoot.”

And Samantha loved the calendars’ final products, and is still cannot fathom that it’s her on one of the covers. “I am still in shock that I am this year’s cover girl,” Samantha says. “I am so proud of our calendar, because it is so tastefully done. Tami does a great job picking out photos and the graphic design team does an amazing job putting everything together. I just cannot believe that it’s me, on the front! I think I had looked up to former MVC covers so much, like Rachel and Kristina, that it just doesn’t even seem possible that I could be in the same ‘club’ as an MVC cover model with them. It is truly a great honor and I am humbled to be this year’s cover!”

So Samantha, if Sport Illustrated asked you to be in the swimsuit edition and you could pick any exotic locale for the shoot, where would you choose? “I would love to go to Bora Bora. Mainly just so I could say I have been to Bora Bora. And because it has breathtaking beaches,” smiles the travel-loving Samantha.

I wondered if during those tough days of her first boot camps with the MVC if Samantha ever considered quitting, and her commitment to the squad comes through in her reply. “I never have thought of dropping out of the MVC,” Samantha answers. “I think the first year is a definite adjustment, and a challenge, but it is my dream, and I would do it forever if I could. Also, I have never really quit anything before and would consider myself extremely driven, so quitting is never an option for me!” Samantha smiles.

Reflecting on adding being a Vikings Cheerleader to her life, Samantha comments, “It was the best decision I have made in my dance career, and I am so honored and blessed to have made it back for my second season as an MVC!”

Taking off in a hot air balloon can have the sensation that you are standing still, and the earth is falling farther and farther away. It seems like Samantha may have the same sensation. She may feel like she is just moving through life and these wonderful experiences just happen along the way. But in truth, Samantha’s life is steered on its eventful course powered by her positive spirit and willingness to take the shots to achieve the goals in her life. From her days asking Broncos Cheerleader for autographs, Samantha can now sign her name to the list of successful women that earn the opportunity to be Vikings Cheerleaders. As Samantha rises to new heights, she is all altitude without an attitude.

We SO appreciate Samantha taking the time to share her experiences with UltimateCheerleaders! And continued thanks to wonderful Vikings Cheerleaders Head Coach Tami Krause for all of her support, and the Vikings Jon Ekstrom for all of his assistance!

There are more photos of Sam from the Vikings-Cardinals game at this link….