Suzy Staffer Story: Chris
Meet Chris- Chris has worked at Suzy since 2008 as a senior import coordinator. Besides being awesome at her day job at SUZY Chris also has a super inspiring story behind her. She happens to be an award winning national female figure athlete champion as well! We know!! How cool is that?
Chris was originally inspired by a female body builder, Corey Everson. She first saw Corey on a magazine cover in her teens. With Corey in mind Chris bought her first pair of dumbbells when she was nineteen. She would wait till everyone in her house was asleep before sneaking to the basement to do work outs at night. Chris slowly started to see definition building in her muscles and this ignited a spark within her. A spark that Chris still lights up talking about today, seeing how the body can completely transform.
Chris continued to pursue fitness, joining a jazz dance class as well as working out but it wasn’t until she was 26 that she got serious and got her first trainer. She will always remember the words that trainer said to her “You’re going to compete in a year”. Even though Chris didn’t end up competing that year, as she had yet to gain the self-confidence; this moment was very important for her. For the first time she really felt what it is like to have someone believe in you.
It was in 2007 when Chris hit a rough patch in her life. She faced some terrifying health issues and didn’t know whether or not she was ever going to be healthy again, let alone compete. But, come 2009 Chris fought and as she states, “I rose like a Phoenix from the ashes” in order to get back to the life she knew. That of course also meant going back to training.
With a new rigorous passion, sticking to her training as she had promised herself, Chris was approached at the gym by someone saying she should consider competing in a figure competition. And that was it. She asked herself why not? If she wasn’t going to do it at 26, she was going to do it now. So, at the age of 45 Chris found herself walking under the stage lights for the first time, placing 2nd in figure masters and 3rd in open short competition. Even though the most mature in both categories she came home with two shiny trophies!
With this accomplishment behind her Chris continued to build on her physique. Sticking to her training and not giving up which earned her numerous other awards and competitions throughout the years, including winning 1st place in Provincials Figure Open Short! With this amazing win Chris decided it was time to take on Nationals.
Back at the gym daily now, throughout her training Chris dreamed to at least place within the top 5 among some of the top athletes in Canada at Nationals. A dream that carried her through her training and in the end became a reality. When the day came to walk the stage Chris placed 1st in Figure Grand Masters and 3rd in Figure Open Short. She could barely believe it but all her training and dedication had paid off, she was a National champion!
Chris inspires us all at SUZY, she is a testament to never giving up on your dream and fighting for what you want. Her next competition is in Edmonton September 10th 2016 and she has been training all year for it. For Chris being on the stage at the end isn’t why she does it, she does it because she loves the journey of it. Seeing how she can transform her body, what she is capable of doing and most importantly because it makes her happy.
To learn more about female figure athletes check out http://www.CBBF.ca/.
