Contest History/Highlights 2012: Orange County Classic 1st Class B; USA Championships 8th Class B; 2011: MuscleContest Championships 4th Figure Class E; Orange County Classic 3rd Figure Class E; Nationals 5th Figure Class B; 2010: USA Championships 16th Figure Class E; California State Championships 3rd Figure Class E; 2009: Excalibur 9th Figure Class E; California State Championships 4th Figure Class E; 2008: Excalibur 8th Figure Class E; 2004: Southern States 8th Figure Class E; Gina Ostarly 4th Figure Class E; 2003: Diamond Classic 2nd Figure Tall; Southern States 9th Figure Class E
SCHOOL DAYS “I’ve always kind of played around with weights. As a little kid my dad had dumbbells and barbells in the garage. In high school I actually took weight training as an elective – I just figured I would be the only girl in the class and it would be a good way to meet guys. But once I started taking the class I found I really liked to lift weights.”
GROWING GAME “When I first started training I found that I liked having a goal, having something I could work for and work toward. When I started seeing my body changing and things getting tighter and muscles getting bigger – that’s when I started getting really interested in it. The dedication, the actual training itself and the sacrifices I had to make – it grew on me.”
FINDING THE GLASS SLIPPER “It took me either 21 or 22 shows to turn pro. It was a long time, a little over eight years. But I’m very stubborn, so I figured if I kept showing up enough times and taking the feedback and advice I was being given, eventually everything would come together. And if I persevered and kept putting in the work I could achieve this goal and eventually, when the time was right, it would happen. When [the physique division] came along, it was like finally finding the puzzle piece that fit, like Cinderella and the glass slipper.”
THE REAL DEAL “I started doing my posing with Chris Cormier back in 2011, then started training with him right after Nationals last year. He’s kind of like my best friend, my mentor, my coach – he’s everything. He’s the kind of coach, he’s been in your shoes and knows all the highs and lows that competitors have. To have him there made all the difference in the world this year.”
STRUGGLE AND REWARD “Out of all the sports that you could choose to participate in, I think bodybuilding is probably one of the hardest and the one where you will struggle the most. Beauty is in the struggle and if that’s the case, then bodybuilding is the most beautiful sport out there. If you work hard and believe in yourself, the fruits of your labor will be rewarded. I think I’m living proof of that.”
