Congratulations to Team Norton members for another great weekend

Isabel and I attended the NANBF USA Championships this past Saturday. As usual, Dave Yeates puts on a first rate show and the competition was very good. It was a super pro qualifier and so quite a few high quality competitors came out to vie for the pro cards. We were exstatic to see Team Norton members Ryan Irwin and Amy Sedlatschek (aka AmySuds) walk away with two of the pro cards. Ryan won a very competitive short class to nab his pro card. He told me that he had done over 20 shows and this was by far the best he had looked. It was great to see the look on his face as they announced his name in first place.

Likewise watching Amy win the overall figure title and a pro card was equally as compelling. Unbeknownst to most people in the audience, Amy threw out her back a week before the show and couldn't do any cardio, lifting, or even hardly get out of bed the last week. At various points she was in excruciating pain onstage. It came to climax when the judges asked for the girls to hit their favorite pose during the overall as shown in the picture below. Amy could have easily done an easy pose, but she went ahead and did a pose that I know must have put her back in excruciating pain; but she was not going to be denied her pro card, and rightly so. Amy has worked extremely hard for it and to see her hard work rewarded was absolutely fantastic.

Also competing in his first show, Team Norton member Mike Randall won the Men's Novice Short class! Mike has been working at the gym I train at for the past year as a personal trainer. He did absolutely fantastic and his posing was that of a seasoned veteran. He certainly has a very bright future and had a mile wide smile after the show!

I would also be remiss if I did not sent out a huge congratulation to Dave Crisafi for winning his first overall at the OCB Tidewater, the final show of his career (he announced his retirement from competing a few months ago). What a way to go out, congratulations Dave, we are really proud of you!

Here are pictures from the show, we had a great time, and it just makes me want to thank everyone who allows me the opportunity to work with them. Novice or pro, I enjoy the process of seeing someone take the journey and achieve their goals. It re-emphasizes the point that I absolutely have the best job in the world and I cannot express to our Team how much I appreciate it!