Interview with Tony Weaverby Paul Stockler
Recently I sat down with Tony Weaver for an interview. We covered topics from the history of the NPC in Alaska to dissolution, competition, stories, and random thoughts on the current and past state of affairs in bodybuilding, fitness and figure here in Alaska and nationally.
Paul S.
A lot has happened in the last couple of months. Why did you step away from your association with the NPC?
Tony W.
Well, I felt it was time for a change. The NPC has changed so much-it is no longer the same organization it once was when I was appointed chairman back in 1984.
Paul S.
What has changed with the NPC?
Tony W.
Well, first let me give you a brief history. Back in 1982 we were holding bodybuilding contests in Alaska under the AAU guidelines. The AAU was the first governing body of all amateur bodybuilding in America. The AAU was the face of most amateur sports in America. In those days the premier title in the United States was the Mr. America title. That really was the ultimate title in amateur bodybuilding back then. The NPC was the new kid on the block and the only bodybuilding exclusive organization in the United States unlike the AAU, which has and still governs many other amateur sports in the United States. The NPC wanted us Alaskans to join their ranks and help shore up their power base for amateur bodybuilding in America. So we did and started collecting fees from our athletes and buying sanctions to “legitimize” our shows.
In our first year of the NPC the registration fees were ten dollars. Since then the fees have ballooned to seventy dollars. Every yearly increase after thirty dollars I kept questioning what we were the getting for all the membership fee increases? And I couldn’t honestly answer that question. All I knew was that I was getting no help from the national office or communication from my regional rep or anybody for that matter. And I was doing all the administrative duties with my own dollars and time. In fact of all the years as chairman I never collected a single dime from the NPC. I finally came to the conclusion that all I was paying for was an expensive magazine subscription; I own no magazines that cost me seventy dollars a year! The sanctions they issued us supposedly helped save the promoters fees for insurance; I have since learned that my insurance costs are one-fifth when I purchased them thru my own vendor! And the additional fees for fitness, figure, and national sanctions started to really pile up. We basically just bought the whole package so our athletes could have an opportunity to compete in a NPC show. However, I soon realized that it did not make much of difference. Most of our competitors still competed in other outside shows to get additional experience and to qualify for Nationals.
Another aspect of the NPC membership that always bugged me was the insistence of the national office to enforce the chairmen to make sure all backstage help and all associated personnel have NPC cards even if they do not compete! I know for fact almost every chairman is in violation of this protocol. Imagine all the techs in an auditorium and their help having to get a NPC cards- this was ridiculous. This was wrong…most of the people that donated time at our shows do so as volunteers with no pay. I always felt that making them buy NPC cards was ridiculous! Finally, I always thought it was moronic to even ask high school kids at their public school shows to buy NPC cards. It is very hard to go to a local high school and talk the parents and faculty to let the student body or the sports teams promote a bodybuilding show at their high school much less turn around and then try to soak them for seventy bucks! Most of these kids barely have enough money for posing trunks! I always thought that just getting the kids get started in competitive bodybuilding fitness or figure was a plus without making them join an organization. Just having a free registration encourages more kids to compete and invariably we would see a couple of them continue on and compete in our local shows where the registration was mandatory, which was fine. The stigma of drug-use the TA aspect of the shows makes it difficult enough at this level to get the parents and teachers to buy into letting the shows go on in their high school in the first place. Let’s not add another obstacle by making them ante- up to a seventy-dollar NPC card! When Lindsay Knight and I first started the shows back in early eighties with the help of some of coaches and teachers, we helped them promote the shows for fund-raising for the athletic teams and such. It was great…the kids loved it and students came out in droves to see their friends and fellow-jocks compete. Wyatt Belanger almost single- handedly has kept the ball rolling over the years by donating his time and energy to promoting a couple of high school shows every year. I know he will never make the kids buy NPC cards it would be a death sentence for the show.
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Paul S.
Are there other organizations out there that athletes can participate in?
Tony W.
Of course, athletes now have many avenues and organizations to compete in. The USBF, NANBF, NABBA, NABBA USA, OCB, WBFA, NBI, INBA and others. Some are natural organizations others not. The NPC or the ABFF for that matter are not the only avenues competitors have for competition. My sister is a regional rep and promoter for the WNBF… one of the only really true drug free organizations in my opinion. She heads all the MRW activities for the Army in the US and Europe and drug testing is mandatory for the athletes in uniform. She has had a strong following- I see the ABFF following some type of testing in the future like the WNBF.
Paul S.
Are you going to charge for membership in the new ABBF?
Tony W.
The first year we will not have any membership fees. I would like to see us eventually have a small fee later maybe next year to help maintain the website and to fund travel for the athletes. That is something that the athletes can vote on annually…to see where they wish to spend the money. If you join you will have one vote. We are an independent organization separate from any outside influence made up of Alaskan competitors, judges, promoters and people interested in furthering the sport of bodybuilding, fitness and figure in Alaska. We have appointees in interim in Kodiak - Lindsay Knight, Kenai Peninsula-Bernie Prendergast, Juneau- Matt Lowden and Fairbanks- Ben Brent. We will soon have a charter and joining is an option for anybody that competes in the Alaska or Anchorage Bodybuilding Championships
Paul S.
Do you have any associations with outside organizations?
Tony W.
It is funny you ask I have been speaking with Wayne Demilia of PDI (Pro-Division Inc.) and he has been a big help. Of course anyone that knows bodybuilding knows of Wayne’s commitment to the sport and his promotion expertise. He has promoted the Olympia for years and has singled- handedly brought the sport to where it is today. In fact it was Wayne that ultimately brought the Olympia to the biggest venues with the most prestige. His last Olympia was held in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay. Wayne also secured major media support with Pay- for- View for the Olympia. Unfortunately, he has resigned and the Olympia is no longer the event it was with Wayne gone at the helm. In fact the Olympia is now off the strip in Las Vegas at The Orleans Hotel a step down in my opinion as far as venues are concerned and they have virtually no major media exposure. Wayne has granted our Alaska weight class winners automatic seeds for the PRO-AM the day before the Night of the Champions, which is an invitation only for new pro-qualifying athletes seeking entrance into the PDI.
Paul S.
Are you saying that Alaska winners are eglible to compete in the Night of the Champions and the PDI shows?
Tony W.
Yes, if they qualify and get their pro-card at the Pro-Am, which precedes the Night of the Champions. We thought it would be neat to offer our competitors the opportunity to go to the big show if they so incline. We are currently working on getting a couple of out athletes there now, Matt Lowden may be eligible for a waiver due to his previous title wins and hopefully will be granted a Pro-Card. I have also been granted my Pro Judges card with the PDI and will be judging.
Paul S.
Are athletes eligible to compete in NPC shows also?
Tony W.
Of course they can compete anywhere they wish. The NPC the ABFF, or any organization cannot keep an athlete from competing where ever they wish the only requirement is they hold a current membership and follow their guidelines. In fact the NPC tried to ban outside competitors from competing back in the eighties and they were sued and lost. A precedent was set from that case.
Paul S.
What people or events stand out in your mind in the twenty-five years that you have been in the sport?
Tony W.
Wow, I have many …do you have an hour?
Paul S.
Just give me few.
Tony W.
Well, mostly it is the people I have met doing this. Derek Snelson my partner has been with me since the early nineties, most people don’t remember Derek back in eighties he and his brother Robbie (now a judge) were really good bodybuilders. In fact Robbie won the very first show he entered…he was a real stud and a standout Division I hockey star also. In fact, all of us still train like dogs and live the lifestyle. I remember Lindsay Knight who I competed with back in the early eighties and I can’t believe he is still competing and kicking ass. Then there is Shawn Boisacq who I saw grow up on the Alaska Bodybuilding scene. This guy put on the West High School one year, organized it got all the kids excited in the show and competed in it and won! But it was watching him come back to try to win the Mr. Alaska year after year that really garnered my respect. He probably was the perennial favorite for at least six years to win the Alaska but always some monster would show up out of no where …and Shawn would end up second, He would go back to work for the next year and improve every year getting better and better, eventually he couldn’t be denied. You have to respect a guy like that! Then there was the same case with Vic Washington, most people do not remember the old Vic who went through at least five or so years trying to win the show then finally getting it done. Most of the youngsters remember the last Vic …coming back in his forties and winning the overall for the second time! And of course Robin Hull…our only three time winner. In fact we have had a few multi-year winners, Vic Washington 2x, Shawn Boisacq 2x, Carol Davis 2x, Karla Atwood 2x, Mike Dugan 2x. It is interesting to think of all the great competitions that took place on the Alaska stage. Did you know that our most famous pro Chris Cook narrowly missed winning the overall to Mike Dugan? And that one of our really old school guys Joe Dawson who won the Alaska in 1981, then USA, and Nationals in 1987 also competed in the Mr. Olympia? Recently Karen Patten probably did more in two years on the local and national scene than anybody I can remember. And my back stage manager Russ Slate who has been with me for over 22 years, he I have some really good stories. I remember one year I was in the sound booth and the show is moving along nicely and all of a sudden I see a competitors’ head appear in the middle of the curtain split dead center on stage! Apparently he did not think any of the two thousand attendees saw him because he was poking his noggin thru the curtain without a care to the world. I was furious! I let the guys know over the headsets to get that &*+#!!! off the stage and stop him from sticking his head thru the curtain! In a flash Russ caught the culprit and single-handedly escorted this guy on his tiptoes with some Chinese Finger Mind-Meld move to back door…thank goodness. Apparently, this guy was clueless of his spectacle –his reply was “ I was only trying to see my wife’s routine”. Then I remember the year we had a disgruntled competitor storm off the stage and then pull the fire alarms in the auditorium and we had to evacuate the building right at the end of the overall awards. It was such a debacle, we were so close to finishing the show, but the building supervisors insisted that everyone evacuate the building till the alarms were turned off. Of course the audience had been in their seats for over four hours and just wanted to see the winner and go home.
Paul S.
I remember that night!
Tony W.
I am sure glad you were there to smooth things over with the crowd. These and so many other stories make this an interesting job.
Paul S.
What is in store for the ABFF this year?
Tony W.
Well, first and foremost The ABFF and Ultra-Fit and Performance Promotions will continue to promote the Alaska Championships like we have done for the last 24 years. We own the names and rights to the Alaska State Championships and the titles for the events. We also will promote the Anchorage Championships on Oct. 6 right here in Anchorage and the Boise Fit-Expo on April 13-14th and finally the Tacoma Northwestern Night of Champions which is also PDI Pro-Qualifier. All in all we have a full schedule ahead of us this year. I look forward to crowning the new champions.
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