Background

I grew up on a family farm in a small town of Argos, Indiana.  I was the middle child with an older brother Matt and a younger sister, Rebecca.  Looking back I have always been a competitive person.  I wanted to be the best at everything I did.  I got straight A’s in school and was captain of the cheerleading squad and the soccer team.  I was soccer MVP three years in a row.  In high school I picked up the nickname “Eminator,” which somehow followed me to college.     

         I decided early that I wanted to play college soccer and started weightlifting.  I was surprised how fast my body responded and got hooked on how great it made me feel.  I guess I just had the right genetics for it.  I started to meet people that were into bodybuilding and they began to teach me how to workout properly.  

         I continued to weight train and I went to Bethel College in McKenzie, Tennessee on an athletic and academic scholarship.  I played for two years and decided it was time for me to experience a bigger school.  Since I decided to forgo my soccer career, I had more free time and began to teach aerobics and coached high school soccer.  I graduated from Purdue University in 2001 with a Bachelor Degree in Psychology.  

         After graduation I moved to Indianapolis, Indiana and started personal training.  I began to meet local bodybuilders and they all started to encourage me to compete.  So with little guidance I competed in a local bodybuilding show in 2002.  This is when I first discovered figure competitions.  I was in awe of how beautiful and feminine the women’s body could look and decided this would be my next challenge.  A challenge it was, considering I was not a makeup and high heels kind of girl.  

         I placed second in both figure competitions I did my first year.  In 2004, I placed 1st in my height class in both local Indiana shows.  My final show that year was North Americans.  Let’s just say that was a learning experience for me!