Welcome to the quarterfinals! I know I'm posting this a bit early, but I've been installing a new bathroom in my house and working early and long hours so I wouldn't have a chance to get this done if I didn't do it right now. (Plus, I think the vote on Round 18 is pretty much settled). First of all, thanks to all who voted and congratulations to Katie for winning Round 18 of our cheerleader tournament. Also, another big Mile High Salute to Lelanna for her showing. It's been rare for me to be on the wrong side of a blowout so far, but this one caught me off guard. And with her loss, the women who received a bye the first round ended up 2-4. Can't say that I can blame people for voting for Katie though, she definitely proved she deserves to be in the quarterfinals; just like all the other women left in the competition. At this point, everyone left has won at least one vote. The decisions get pretty hard from here on out.

For those of you who are new to this series, here's the usual introduction: I got the idea for this while visiting the Phinsider website. They were doing a short bracket of cheerleaders from around the league. I figured that wouldn't work for us though since we all know we have the best cheerleaders there are. So, I built bracket for the best of the best. To be fair, all entries were selected with a random number generator. I'd like to wrap this up on Super Bowl Sunday, so that means a new vote every 3 or 4 days. It doesn't matter how you vote, but I'll be giving the information and pictures from the Broncos' website. You can base your vote on who you perceive to be the biggest fan, whose personality you like the best or plain and simple looks (of course, the info will still probably have to play a part since they're all obviously 10s of course).

So, without further adieu, I present the first round of the quarterfinals.

If you can't see the full bracket, just click on the picture. It should take you to the source image.

Quarterfinals Round One: Nikki Boole versus Kara Dingboom

Nikki Boole

Nikki has been a fan of the Broncos since she started liking football and has also been a cheerleader for us for two years. She attended Whittier College in Whittier, California, and California State University of Fullerton, Fullerton, got a Double Major in Child Development and Sociology California Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential and is a Teacher.

Occupation and how does Broncos affect your work?
Being an elementary school teacher and a Broncos cheerleader both require a ton of energy! I love keeping busy. Sometimes I don't know where I get the energy, but I guess you can say doing what you love is the key to motivation!

What is the most important attribute of a Denver Broncos cheerleader?
Being a well-rounded individual! It is important to be YOURSELF, as a Denver Broncos Cheerleader. There are so many different responsibilities and experiences within the position that I feel it is important to incorporate all you've learned and all of who you are, into everything you do.

Most memorable experience?
I was extremely blessed to have been asked to go on an AFE (Armed Forces Entertainment) tour last season to Guam. It was truly eye-opening to see what daily life is like for our troops overseas. Having the opportunity to be the little piece of "home" to them was more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. I will treasure each connection I made with our soldiers in Guam.

Who has been your greatest inspiration?
My mom. She is one of the strongest people I know. She has done everything for my sisters and I and I hope to one day be the selfless, loving woman she is to my kids.

What is one thing about being a DBC that most people don't know?
We have to take a written football test as part of the audition process! So yes, we do know, and like, Denver Broncos football!

Best advice to kids?
YOU ARE SPECIAL! You can do anything you put your heart into! So go shine!!!!

What sports do you enjoy watching or playing?
I'm more of a spectator than a participant... but I absolutely love a good ole game of hockey, basketball, football, or lacrosse. I do, however, really want to get into tennis one day! It would be a great way to workout and have a little competitive fun!

What top three things do you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?
1) I want to one day have a family and be the best mom and wife I can be!
2) I want to travel! I don't think I'll make it to every continent, but if I can make it to five, I'll be more than happy!
3) I would like to complete a mini-triathlon! I completed my first half-marathon last year, and love a good 10K. l enjoyed the challenge of training and the sense of accomplishment at the finish line.

What do you value most in your life?
The people I love.

Place you would most like to visit and why?
If I had to choose one place to visit from my long list of places to go, I'd choose Spain! I think it looks like a beautiful place to visit, rich with culture and yummy Spanish food.

Who do you admire most in the sports industry?
Wayne Gretzky.

What is the best thing about Broncos fans?
Being the best, most dedicated fans in the NFL!

What book are you currently reading?
Twilight! I know I'm a little late ... but better late than never, right!? I'm hooked! Go Team Edward!

In what charities or community service organizations are you most involved and why?
As a Denver Broncos Cheerleader, we are provided with numerous opportunities to get involved and reach out to the community. As a teacher, I've always enjoyed being involved with the Read Across America program. The impact adults and professionals can have by simply reading a book to a child or being read to, is astronomical and so important!

What is something about you that fans might not know?
I'm a California girl!

What makes you laugh?
Kids!!! They say and do the funniest darn things!!

How do you challenge yourself?
By being the best ME, I can be! I try to remember what I have been given, appreciate it, and do it with all the energy and strength I am supplied with each and every day!

How do you spend your time in the offseason?
One of my favorite things to do is just spend the afternoon in a coffee shop. I love the smell of coffee and the coziness of the environment. I also love watching movies, kickboxing, and hanging out with my little sisters.

In what area of your life have you achieved the most success?
I think I have been successful in following my heart in achieving my goals. I have been blessed with so many opportunities and am truly grateful for the impact each one of them has had on me and the relationships I have built through them. They all have shaped me into the person I am today. For me, it has been important to set goals for myself and achieve them, but also to be open to the unexpected opportunities life may present.

Kara Dingboom

Kara has been a fan of the Broncos since the day she was born. She says there is something about Broncos country, that you can’t help but be a fan. This is her rookie season as a cheerleader for the Broncos. She attended University of Southern California, got a B.S. in Business Administration and is a Guest Services Representative.

Occupation and how does Broncos affect your work?
Guest Services Representative. Just as it was a balancing act to dance and go to school, working while doing Broncos will be another way to perfect my time management and organization skills.

What is the most important attribute of a Denver Broncos cheerleader?
Dedication and professionalism. We are so fortunate to have the opportunity to do what we love, that it is important to remain committed to respectfully represent this highly esteemed organization both on and off the field.

Most memorable experience?
My most memorable experience was finals night at auditions. I remember sitting with all of the finalists with more nerves than you can imagine. I was so overwhelmed with excitement when my name was announced. I felt so incredibly blessed to be chosen for the team and it was a moment and feeling I will never forget!

Who has been your greatest inspiration?
My mom has been and continues to be the greatest inspiration in my life. She is the kindest, strongest and the most selfless and loving person that I know. Her undying support and guidance has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. I only hope that one day I will be the kind of mother to my children that she has been to me.

What is one thing about being a DBC that most people don't know?
The team is made up of genuinely warm-hearted, smart, and hard working women. We are all so grateful to be a part of the Broncos organization and we work extremely hard to continually strive for excellence.

Best advice to kids?
Always give your best in everything that you do. You can never fault yourself if you fully commit to doing the best you possibly can.

What sports do you enjoy watching or playing?
Besides watching the Broncos, I absolutely love watching my USC Trojans! Fight On!

What top three things do you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?
My main goal is to lead a healthy and happy life. Three things I hope to accomplish while doing this is to have a family, be successful in the career path I choose and travel to as many places as I possibly can.

What do you value most in your life?
My faith and my family. My faith is what gets me through each and every day. It has made me who I am today and continues to shape the person that I hope to be. My family is valuable beyond words in that I don’t know what I would do without any of them in my life. They have all influenced me in different ways through their unwavering love and support.

Place you would most like to visit and why?
Greece, because from what I hear, it is absolutely beautiful!

Who do you admire most in the sports industry?
It is difficult to choose just one person because I admire and respect the commitment and hard work that it takes for each athlete to be within the sports industry.

What is the best thing about Broncos fans?
Their loyalty. I cannot wait to experience the orange and blue fever during the first game this season!

What book are you currently reading?
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.

In what charities or community service organizations are you most involved and why?
I’ve been fortunate to already be involved with an organization through Broncos called Dare To Cheer. This organization is associated with Ed McCaffrey’s Dare To Play Football camp and the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. Hosting the Dare To Cheer camps with my teammates has been an amazing and fulfilling experience. The spirit and enthusiasm that the dancers have is truly inspiring. I look forward to becoming involved in more charities as the year continues.

What is something about you that fans might not know?
I absolutely love to cook. Over the past few years, cooking has become one of my newer passions. I love finding new and different recipes, tweaking old ones and creating my own. I hope to write my own cookbook one day.

What makes you laugh?
I laugh at quite a lot so it doesn’t take much to make me laugh!

How do you challenge yourself?
I strongly believe that there is always room for improvement in every aspect of life. I try to challenge myself to continually grow as a person and lead a compassionate and honest life. Yoga has also become a new way for me to physically challenge myself… some of those poses can be quite tricky!

How do you spend your time in the offseason?
Spending time with my family and friends, doing anything outside, tutoring young kids, yoga and reading.

In what area of your life have you achieved the most success?
I feel I have achieved the most success in my dancing career. I started dancing when I was in 8th grade after playing soccer for nearly 13 years. I danced throughout high school and continued with my passion during my four years in college. After graduating from USC, I knew that I wasn’t ready to stop performing, so making a professional team became one of my main goals. I am beyond excited to start this new chapter in my life!

So Round One of our quarterfinals brings us a battle of two longtime fans of the team. They have three years of experience between them and the decision is as hard as they get. Once again, please feel free to add your opinions and any info you can find on these lovely ladies, and let me know if there's anything I can do to improve this series.

And I just want to say thank you again to MHR. My knowledge of football has expanded exponentially since I started coming to this site and I still find myself so far behind some of the great members here. I figured this contest would be a good way to give something back. Go Broncos!