Articles The Wennerstrom Report Multi-talented Athlete Marcie Simmons Wins NPC National Championships Physique Title
The 2014 edition o
f the NPC National Championships Women's Physique division once again provided the top two finishers in each of the four height classes an opportunity to join the ranks of the IFBB pro division as a robust field of 52 contestants gathered at the James L. Knight Center in Miami to take part in the huge weekend flexfest on November 21-22.
With a tradition of this division beginning to unfold in what is now its fourth year of existence, and past entries at this event finding their way not only to the pro ranks, but also the Physique Olympia, hope was springing eternal in the faces – along with the body language – of those who stepped on stage. Who would add their name to the short list of past overall winners that includes Karin Hobbs in 2011, Toni West in 2012 and Kelli Schrader last year?
At this year's competition – and even though the total number of competitors in this division was down from 66 last year – there was one common thread that wove its way through the four classes. And it was the nightmarish job that faced the judging panel in sorting out the ultimate cream of the crop. Put simply, the classes were most decidedly competitive, and the final scores reflected that reality.
Class A (Up to and including 5’2”)
In this first class of the P
hysique division competition, it could be argued that winner Dianne Brown helped set the tone for the divisions to follow by presenting a well-balanced structure with no obvious bodyparts missing. Her lines were clean and she added a good blend of stage presence to secure a unanimous victory. From Hyattsville, Maryland, Brown's 5’1 3/4” frame was sleek with nice muscular detail and a striking pair of triceps that highlighted her overall musculature. Most importantly, she was complete. In this case, it was a no-brainer for the judges.
Having competed for a decade, Brown was a lightweight and overall winner at the 2007 Arnold Amateur and experienced good success in another organization as a bodybuilder. But the NPC's Physique division has suited her best, and with her win here, she moves into the IFBB pro ranks with the coming of the 2015 season. Clearly, her training background has produced a keenly cultivated musculature to compete at the pro level and it should serve her well.
In equally unanimous fashion, runner-up Stacey Norris of Odessa, Texas, stood her ground impressively at 5’1” with a well-balanced proportion of muscle to fit her frame. A gymnastics and tumbling trainer, Norris tumbled her way right into the IFBB pro ranks with a physique that is homemade for the pro level. With a muscular arsenal that shows a very good back, deep set abs and a pair of beautifully-shaped and well-defined calves, the 2014 NPC Texas State champion looks primed and ready to stand in with the pros.
1- Dianne Brown 5
2- Stacey Norris 10
3- Kimberly Anthony 15
4- Laveka Smith 19
5- Tonya Griffin 25
6- Charise Parker 35
7- Mariko Cobbs 37
8- Lana Rust 38
9- Alexandria Mossberger 50
10- Iramis Portero 50
11- Christina Lopez 54
12- Hazel Carrico 55
Class B (over 5’2” to including 5’4”)
As the most tightly contested class of the Physique division, judges found themselves needing to take another closer look at this field of 12 contestants when considering the fact that at least half of the class was log-jammed in the scoring. To their credit, the judging panel actually took the time to re-judge this class in the evening to make sure they had arrived at the proper placings among the top five. Even then, it was still close.
Emerging as the champion in this class was Texan Jaquita Person-Taylor. Like Class 'A' winner Dianne Brown, Person-Taylor was well-conditioned and showed a savvy stage presence that helped her gain favorable notice. Her muscular detail flowed well with a thoroughbred quality without being too rigid with definition. Beginning her competitive efforts as a Figure competitor at events like the NPC Heart of Texas in 2010, Person-Taylor ventured into Bodybuilding and had very good success winning the LW class at both the NPC West Texas Classic and Ronnie Coleman Classic in 2011.
Person-Taylor’s bodybuilding continued with a third-place LW finish at the NPC USA in 2012, followed by a runner-up at the same event in 2013 before switching to the Physique division this year. Winning this class by a comfortable margin, she only needs to continue a cultivation proces
s on her overall musculature that is already well-balanced. In a Physique division that is currently bursting at the seams with solid competitors, Person-Taylor can, nevertheless, be a strong representative at the pro level.
As the competitor who finally surfaced as the top placer among the next five challengers, Karen Yoakum of Coral Springs, Florida, captured the second available pro card offered in this class. With long bodylines, she appeared taller than her 5’ 2 1/2” height, but the musculature she carried was distributed very well. A former Figure competitor, Yoakum endured a pair of 15th-place finishes at both the NPC Nationals and IFBB North Americans last year, but a switch to the Physique division at this event worked like a charm and she finds herself qualified to enter the pro ranks. Yoakum's final point total of 31, topped a quintet of competitors who were just a handful of points behind, and made for one of the closest finishes in a Physique class race to date.
1- Jaquita Person Taylor 18
2- Karen Yoakum 31
3- Katie Chin 33
4- Jodi Lyons 36
5- Lora Coppola 37
6- Janelle Pierce 37
7- Mary Anderson 37
8- Kristina Dobyns 42
9- Joy Groszczyk 45
10- Maria Ruszkowski 53
11- Kerri Cobb 53
12- Janelle Ucci 60
Class C (Over 5’4” to including 5’6”)
Whe
n Chicago's Marcie Simmons was judged as a unanimous winner of the 'C' class, there was what seemed like an encyclopedic volume of reasons why. First, at 5’5 1/2”, 146 pounds she carried a serious level of physical presence; that, combined with a high level of conditioning (her crazy good abdominal detail as an example) made her stand out in this 16-contestant field. But there were other less tangible elements that gave credence to her overall look. Her stage presence, for example, showed a no-nonsense approach to the competition. She was pointed in her efforts, and the regimentation she showed carried a level of confidence that was infectious to those viewing both the preliminaries and final show.
Clearly, Simmons loves to entertain, and with an athletic background rooted in high school track & field where she doubled up in the 200m (24.7) and shot put, those events combined help explain much about her willingness to try anything. As a powerlifter for the past 15 years (she has squatted 435 at a bodyweight of 175, and has designs on pulling 500 in the deadlift), Simmons could easily be considered one of the strongest – if not the strongest – competitors in the entire Physique division field. As a starting point, she competed as a bodybuilder in the NPC Kevin Noble Natural in 2010, and most recently won a qualifier to enter the Nationals. So, if there is anything that pinpoints Marcie Simmons' presence as the newest IFBB Pro Physique competitor, it is that she may well be another puzzle piece in the ongoing evolution and development of this division. And she's a dynamic one to be sure… the overall NPC National trophy she is taking home is evidence of that.
Showing a notably different look than that of Marcie Simmons, runner-up Valerie Giavanoli presented a l
ess muscular but very eye-catching overall look with clean lines and a beautifully balanced structure and musculature. At 5’4 3/4”, Giavanoli has been highly visible on the internet where her appeal and appearance would create a very positive vibe for women getting started in progressive resistance weight training with the goal of achieving a lean muscular look. Giavanoli exudes that look in spades.
Relatively new to competitions, Giavanoli’s rush to the pro level is not unusual (she recently won the overall Physique title at the NPC Mid-Atlantic States in North Carolina), but she will surely find her place within the pro ranks a comfortable one. Also of note is the fact that she is married to former Rx Muscle writer John Romano, so we should never expect a dull moment as her contest entries progress!
1- Marcie Simmons 5
2- Valerie Giovanoli 11
3- Syndi Wisniewski 19
4- Jennifer Underwood-Kalas 19
5- Alicia King 23
6- Brittane Mergerson 35
7- Kat Secor 35
8- Lequita Sanders 36
9- Katie Kehoe 45
10- Ashley Salvaggio 50
11- Julie Hansen 60
12- Carolyn Rudin 61
13- Alyson Dallas 64
14- Keisha Surrat 66
15- Tina Blackwelder 73
16- Jayme Ribar 77
Class D (over 5’6”) Erin Knecht Connects For Tall Class Victory
With Susan Smith putting Alabama on the NPC National victory map with her HW and over
all win in the Bodybuilding division, Alabama's Erin Knecht also chipped in with a tall class victory in the Physique division. In a close battle for the top spot, Knecht got the edge with a sound structure and plenty of muscle throughout her physique. At 5’7 1/2”, her weight was estimated at between 155 and 160, but she wore it well… complete with an impressive pair of calves that further helped show complete balance in her musculature.
The real story of Knecht's win had more to do with her 'last to first' march to this victory. At last year's NPC Nationals she placed tied for 16th, a no doubt sobering placement after enjoying a victory at the NPC Alabama State Championships earlier in the year. And things still must have seemed bleak for her this year when she placed 15th at the NPC Junior USA. But suddenly the stars aligned and between the Junior USA and the Nationals she put together a much improved overall look and the judges responded with first place recognition, and presto, she was on her way to the pro ranks. While Knecht's good fortune is not unique – as others have experienced the same dash from low placings to a victory in a short time – the message to other competitors should be that ANYTHING can happen from contest to contest.
Florida's April Cosimano did her best to make a competition of the race for the class title and only fell short by three points. On the upside, her runner-up finish was still good enough to earn her pro status, and at 5’7” she has all the tools to become a legitimate competitor at the pro level with a great overall look and excellent conditioning that showed her muscularity at an idyllic level. Cosimano was an overall Physique winner at the 2013 NPC South Florida, and a winner at this year's NPC Southern States.
1- Erin Knecht 6
2- April Cosimano 9
3- Stephanie Sumiel 15
4- Zandra Starr Thomas 23
5- Jacqueline Garcia 25
6- Haily McGrath 27
7- Shannon Howell 35
8- Lindsey Rojas 40
9- Alma Agie 45
10- Stacey Falon 51
11- Jess Silver 55
12- Candace Stupek 58
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