...on Friday evening...as we were reviewing the last few hours of contest preparation for Holly, Melanie, Joyce and Rita at the National Fitness and Figure show in Saskatoon...
...we received some very sad news...

...a great friend and long time ELITE Professional, Shannon Hocking had been killed in a car accident...

...for those of you who had never met "Shan", she was not only the "Mo" of ELITE before "Mo", she was the heart and soul of "the box" for 6 years...and truly a beautiful soul...

...to say Shannon played an integral role in the development of ELITE is an understatement...

...it was Shannon, way back when I was with the Bombers who in fact helped me define what performance center could be...

...Shannon was also a shoulder I leaned on at the end of 16 hour days...not just once....
...but hundreds of days in a row...
...she was a very dear friend...

...Shannon...also coined a phrase that resonated so deeply with me...
...that I have used it on every pre-contest breakdown I have made...
...and if you have competed in a physique contest with ELITE, you have seen it too...


....BELIEVE IN THE MAGIC...

...it referred to the last few trying days of preparing for a contest...
...where believing in something bigger than you is so important...


...as I was on the phone in Saskatoon hearing the tragic news...I looked down on the desk...

...and there it was

....BELIEVE IN THE MAGIC...DON'T THINK...JUST BELIEVE...

...Right in front of me printed on the top sheet of paper...

...As the last few days have passed and Shannon remembered so fondly...

...there are many things that can go through one's head...

...so many thoughts of sadness...and loss...

...and during these hard times the best advice I have received...

....comes from our dear friend Shannon....

...BELIEVE IN THE MAGIC...

... Love always.fISH...