Grant 1986
Grant today
The atmosphere on campus was electric as people from the college and beyond thronged the Aronow Theater to witness the first ever Mr. and Miss City College body building competition.
A pastime that developed from guys hanging out together and lifting weights ended up that night in April 1986 in the crowning of the first ever Ms. CCNY.
Kerlin Grant, who majored in Nursing and is now a practicing nurse at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, took home the honor of the coveted trophy.
“It had to do with going to the gym with my friends,” said Grant “My girlfriends oiled me up and prepared me for the contest. I was excited and nervous as hell and kept bumping into other participants.”
City College use to have a basic body building course back then which the students took for an easy A. It was in one of such classes that Grant found out about her abilities in the sport. Twenty two years ago, the first ever Mr. and Miss College body building competition was held in the school. This event brought together enthusiasts of this muscle flexing sport all over campus. Over the years however, it has come to a stop.
Grant was more of a track and field specialist who aspired to join the track team but couldn’t because of family obligations. Weight lifting became her athletic outlet.
“You can say the sport was an escape for me from my outspoken demeanor on campus back then. It wasn’t about winning or losing, it was purely a fun thing. In fact, it was my friends who urged me on to enter into the competition.” Grant said on the reason behind taking up the sport of body building and taking part in the competition.
What caused the demise of such competitions on campus and are we to expect similar contests soon?
Not exactly, says Dr. Kevin Rahman of the Sports and Recreation Department of the City College of New York and who also heads the school gym.
“It all depends on the students, if they want such a competition we can hold one for them,” Rahman said. “There was a brief period during the mid 1990s when a club called City Bodies held power lifting but not body building contests in the school. The students use to come from all over and lift weights for show.”
According to Rahman, there isn’t an official body building program these days at City College but for students who wish to train, the gym is always open. The college provides for free a professional personal trainer who guides students interested in pumping iron at the gym.
Kerlin Grant was surprised to learn that there are no more weightlifting competitions on campus.
“They probably ceased holding such contests because of the younger generation,” she said. She also lauded the sport as being fun and great for girls to take up since it builds bone mass and helps the mind focus.
“It’s a wonderful sport, it will be good if they could organize it on campus again,” said Grant. “Body building provides for a very rounded life.”
3 responses so far ↓
ANDREW YAP // December 27, 2008 at 1:37 am |
I WAS PRESENT FOR THIS COMPETITION AND AS A RESULT THE CITY COLLEGE BODY BUILDING PROGRAM GREW TREMENDOUSLY.
ITS A SHAME THIS PROGRAM IS NO MORE.
Victor Epstein // May 4, 2009 at 3:28 pm |
The contest really got its start due to with Athletic Trainer Artie Margulin, as I recall. He was a powerlifter and he and the many athletes that congregated in the athletic training room got the thing going.
One of the winners – Heather Foster – went on to a professional bodybuilding career. But it was never a big organzied thing – it was a small organized thing that drew a lot of spectators and had virtually no organizing body behind it.
Frank Pinchinat // May 5, 2009 at 11:05 am |
I actually competed(1st place heavy weight and overall) in one the last bodybuilding shows at City College. It was held by the City Bodies Club (I was the president of the club back then).