Miss Mass USA 2010, Lacey Wilson
Lacey Wilson, Miss Massachusetts USA 2010, is a blast! I had the opportunity to judge with her at a national pageant last month and the 4 days that we spent judging together was very eye opening. I will admit that most of the time when I meet a titleholder the conversations revolve completely around them…and when I stop asking questions about her that conversation stops. LOL
But, Lacey is extremely serving in that she offered her advice on how I might better serve The Pageant Planet family through content and interviews. Her interest did not stop at my welfare only but also carried over to the welfare of the thousands of you contestants reading this article.
You will notice what I mean in her answers to your questions that came by way of our FaceBook Fan Page…oh and one more thing…this interview took place prior to Miss USA 2010 but we have had so many girls to interview, and so many pageant tips to cover that Lacey’s interview is just now going live! That’s crazy, isn’t?
How to Prepare for Miss USA Swimsuit?
Fans: How long ago did she start preparing for the swimsuit portion of the pageant and what did that preparation consist of specifically?
Lacey: The swimsuit portion of Miss USA is truly one of my favorite areas of competition and one of the reasons I love competing so much. I grew up in a sports family and have played volleyball my entire life, so working out, eating healthy and living a balanced lifestyle are things that have not only always been part of my life but things that I truly enjoy. I love that getting ready for Miss USA truly pushed me and gave me a reason to challenge myself in the gym everyday.
In order to get ready for my state pageant I started on a consistent intense training schedule about 5 months in advance. I have an amazing fitness sponsor, Katie Boyd, who recently opened a gym specifically targeted at women and pageant girls. I worked out with Katie at least 4-5 days a week in preparation for Miss Massachusetts, along with 45 minutes of cardio a day and a healthy eating plan. I’m so lucky because I found a trainer who truly inspires me and understands what it takes to be physically fit and competitive at the Miss USA level. I think finding the right person to work with is one of the most important things because as a state titleholder the gym truly becomes your second home.
Even now that Miss USA is over I am still working with Katie and using everything I have learned from her so that I can stay healthy and fit as I continue my career as a model and tv host. I am very grateful for my many years of involvement with MUO because I have learned so much that I can now take into my everyday life.
Preparing for the On Stage Question
Fans: What has she done to prepare for the on-stage question?
Lacey: I really enjoy the on-stage and interview portion of the pageant. It is truly your opportunity to let the judges know who you are, why you’re there and what is important to you. I always look forward to this phase of competition and wish it lasted longer! I think as a titleholder it is extremely important to know what is going on in the world around you and in the area you represent, not only because you have an interview portion, but in order to be a well rounded intelligent titleholder as well.
In order to prepare for the on-stage question I make reading and watching the news part of my daily life and it truly became a habit throughout my Miss Massachusetts and Miss USA preparations. I read the USA Today front to back everyday, set CNN.com as my homepage, would wakeup early to walk on the treadmill while watching The View and the Today Show and would listen to Public Radio in my car whenever I drove to appearances.
The other aspect of preparing yourself for the on-stage question, is besides knowing the information, you need to be comfortable in front of the camera, on stage and really get good at listening to other people. As a TV Host and communications graduate from USC, I have my career experience and education to thank in preparing me for these elements of competition.
How to Stand Out at Miss USA
Fans: What does she plan to do to stand out in the judges minds from all the other beautiful contestants?
Lacey: It is so true the Miss USA pageant is comprised of 51 amazingly beautiful, educated, intelligent and accomplished young women and as in any pageant it is important to try and make yourself stand out! I really focused on this at Miss Mass USA this past year as I knew it was my last try at a state title and it was a huge goal of mine. I think the best way to stand out is to know yourself and what it is you bring to the table and why it is you would make a good titleholder! Once you can take the time to reflect on that and figure out why it is you would be a good representative then you have to make sure to get that across to the judges! Going into Miss Massachusetts I tried to come up with three main reasons why I felt I was fit for this job and I didn’t leave the interview room until those judges learned those things about me. Besides that, I think it is just truly wanting it, having a passion for what you are doing and being a good person while doing it. Those things don’t go unnoticed. Whether you are in interview or not, on stage or not, it is important to be the same person, treat people with respect and be a kind classy person. I believe it is those characteristics that make someone truly standout above the rest and fit to be a great titleholder.
Pageantry Helped My Entertainment Career
Fans: She has worked with some pretty impressive news media organization, such as E! and had some great modeling gigs, does she think that pageantry helped her achieve any of these goals?
Lacey: Absolutely! I have pageants to thank for introducing me to so many amazing people in my life and leading me to so many wonderful opportunities. I truly believe most of what I have achieved and accomplished career wise is in thanks to my experience with the MUO system the past 5 years. The things I have learned from my pageant preparation have helped me in every interview I have been in, every audition I have gone to and has taught me how to relate and appreciate all kinds of people. I am currently working as an on-air TV Host for a weekly lifestyle and entertainment show called StyleBoston and it is my job as Miss Massachusetts that lead me to this opportunity as well. I will be forever grateful for all of the doors my pageant experience has opened for me and all of the amazing people it has brought into my life!
Does Lacey Read the Message Boards?
Fans: Does she read the message boards and how do they affect her?
Lacey: As I prepared for Miss USA I really tried to stay off the message boards. In the beginning of pageant season I always enjoy seeing new pictures of the new titleholders and all of the pageants so it’s a great place to do that, but after that I try to stay focused and not go on them. I completely respect the fact that it’s a place for pageant fans to enjoy and share their love of pageants but as with any form of media it can sometimes become negative. As a titleholder it is really important to stay positive and focused on what you need to do and steer clear of too many different influences and opinions. I am so fortunate that I have an amazingly supportive family and I had the most wonderful directors and sponsors throughout all of this. I think knowing I had the team of people around me that I needed I just wanted to stay focused and count on them for opinions and feedback. But that being said I am grateful that their is such a strong pageant community and people who enjoy following the Miss USA journey.
For more information on Lacey Wilson, check out Lacey’s blog.
Posted in 
Tags: 
