This past week I watched a really great interview featuring NGA Pro and Promoter Josh Miller and new NGA Figure and Wellness Pro Lindsey Pelfrey on Instagram LIVE. During the interview, Lindsey spoke about doing her first contest (the 82nd annual NGA Cincinnati Natural) and what it was like from beginning to end. Upon arriving, one of the first people she met was NGA Pro Kadie Wagner (seen on the cover shot in street clothes). Now mind you, Lindsey didn’t know anyone and this was her first contest. While she brought an amazing physique and had a great team behind her, these were still very much unchartered waters. During the interview she spoke about how Kadie became sort of a stage mom to her and several other new competitors.
Since Kadie had done four shows she used her experience and caring personality to make the new competitors feel more at home. She didn’t have to do it, rather, she wanted to. That said, if Lindsey hadn’t mentioned it, we may have never known about it. And that, too, is noteworthy because it was a good deed done out of kindness with nothing expected in return. What are the odds that one of the three or four ladies that Kadie helped would talk about that experience on an interview or an article or post? Slim to none, I’d say.
In addition to being supportive before the contest, Kadie takes the prize for being supportive after it, as well. She was done competing, but she was still backstage showing love. That support is priceless. And it really speaks to how much I believe Kadie loves the sport.
Whereas most competitors can’t wait to get out the door fast enough to splurge on great food and good times, Kadie changed into regular clothes and returned to the backstage area. She was also nice enough to let me snap a few shots of her with her fellow competitors. She’s one of my favorite people to shoot and interview. In time, I hope she’ll do an Instagram LIVE with me and I hope she does one with Josh [Miller] as well. She has an amazing physique and her stage presence is solid, but what she was does backstage and what she does behind the scenes is every bit as great and as important as what she does on stage. I wanted to take this opportunity to recognize her in my small way.
Hopefully other competitors will take a page from Kadie’s playbook and stick around a little longer. I know that everyone wants to get to the good food and the good times, but staying around is also extremely noble and big leagues. There always has to be division that goes up last. That’s just how the cookie crumbles. The more people that hang out backstage and in the seats – the better. Again, I understand wanting to go out and celebrate, but for those athletes (like Kadie) who compete and then stick around to show their fellow competitors support, I’d like to tip my hat y’all.
