Vanessa Hampton

Many of you know that I joined the Army National Guard during High School and proceeded on to Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training following graduation. What many may not know is that it shaped the rest of my life in MANY ways.

I started college at the University of Utah directly after my Army training and proceeded down a Pre-Dental path. My plans were altered my Junior year of college when I was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. I spent 18 months serving as a Combat Medical Specialist and gathered more life skills than one can truly imagine. While there the prestige of Dental School became less important and I started thinking about what I was truly passionate about and how I'd continue my life at home in order to enjoy every moment. While in country I spend my free time competing in fitness and weight lifting competitions. I was very successful and thanks to the extra 20 pounds that Army chow had placed on me....I was a force to be reckoned with!

Once home I realized that strength training was my passion, but I desired a leaner physique. That is when I decided to become a Certified Personal Trainer and began supporting myself working as a trainer while I finished school. While working at a local gym I was approached about possibly competing in Natural Bodybuilding as a Figure athlete. I started training immediately for my first competition in 2007. I enrolled at Idaho State University and stayed close to the family I'd missed so much by busing up to campus daily. My degree didn't change, but I thought more along the lines of Physical Therapy for my future. During the shadowing process I realized that I was more in love with my current part time job as a trainer than I was with PT! My senior year was spent swallowing my pride, finishing my Bachelors degree (with no plans for attending Grad school as I had always expected I would), and preparing to open my very own Private Personal Training Facility!

I found the love of my life while on deployment and in 2007 we were married. In 2008, just eight months later, I graduated with my BS in Zoology from ISU and four months after becoming Mrs. Toolson my gym was open to the public.

I leaned out a bit since my days in Iraq and now compete in Natural Bodybuilding competitions in the Figure division around the Western United States. I have been very successful in my short year of competing. I took a short break from competing to start a family and my baby girl, Danika was born April 3, 2009.



8 months after she was born I was back on stage and just after her 1st birthday I received my Profession status after capturing a major title. I will compete for the remainder of this year as an amateur before competing professionally next year. I have a busy business and I specialize in competition preparation as well as personalized health and wellness programing. I am in love with what my life has become and am extremely pleased what all the unexpected has led to.

As a side note: I happen to have a show one week before the reunion, so I hope you will all understand my lack of participation at dinner, but I will be there to catch up with you all a few feet shy of the buffet line. :^)