MVC Alumni History

In 1961, under the direction of Bob Patrin, the Pom Pom Girls (also known as the "Vi-Queens") were established and the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders history began. The Pom Pom Girls cheered at home games at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota.  This group of 6 – 8 ladies cheered for the Vikings through the 1963 season.

From 1964 - 1965, the St. Louis Park Parkettes cheered for the Minnesota Vikings under the direction of Fran Libby.

Then, in 1966 the Edina Hornettes and Roosevelt Rockettes were on the Vikings sidelines under the direction of Lorraine Holscher Sarek.

In 1967, the St. Louis Park Parkettes returned as the Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders and cheered at home games through the 1983 season, for 5 NFL Championships and at 4 Super Bowls! Carol Wexler Kalnow was the Director from 1969-1971 and Toni Swiggum was the Director during their years with the Vikings from 1972-1983.

For more information on the complete history of the Parkettes, please visit www.parkettes.org.

In 1984, the Minnesota Vikings introduced the first professional cheer team for the Vikings. The official Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders, as you know them now today, had over 600 women audition for that inaugural year. Of the 36 women who were chosen that season, the youngest member was 18 and the oldest was 33 years of age. Sue Anderson Franks was the coach of those talented women and directed the MVC for 7 years.

From 1992-1997, Mary Ann Dallas lead the MVC and brought in The Line Up, initially for practice wear and soon after to design the costumes. The Line Up created costumes for the MVC through the 90s and continues to design costumes for the team to this day. In Mary Ann's last year as the Director, Tami (Krause) Hedrick proudly cheered as a Minnesota Vikings Cheerleader for the 1997 season.

The following season in 1998, Tami began her career as the MVC Head Coach and Director. While Tami has been coaching, she has launched several programs with the MVC including; the Training Program, A Team, Junior Cheerleader Program, swimsuit calendar and the MVC All Stars. She has also expanded the current MVC's impact worldwide through hundreds of appearances, military tours, social media connections and TV programs.

The MVC A*Team (2007-2012, 6 seasons) was a performance-based alumni team, comprised of MVC alumni who cheered between 1984 and 2009. Co-coached by Heather Pilakowski and Heather Krause, this group of dedicated women rehearsed weekly at Winter Park for six months out of the year and performed before every Vikings home game on the Plaza to help get the crowd fired up, and occasionally performed with the current MVC's during in-game end-zone routines. It was wonderful to share this unique and special experience across multiple decades of MVC's.

The cheerleaders performed at every home game to live band music for the pre-game and half-time shows in the early years. More recently, the MVC perform to recorded music along the sidelines during the game, perform end zone routines between quarters and are featured for halftime, including an annual performance with Junior Cheer Program participants. They can also be found alongside Vikings fans outside the stadium pre-game and in the concourses meeting fans during the game.

Today, the MVC is a year-round commitment beginning in early April. Hopefuls participate in a three week audition process which includes learning a variety of dances, interviewing with the MVC staff and Vikings organization, and a final audition in front of a large crowd at the Mall of America.