Senior Brandon Edmonds eagerly stands behind the curtain with 14 other contestants waiting to take the stage at the Mr. Collins pageant. He thinks back on all of the hard work he put into preparing for this moment when, suddenly, the curtain draws. He and the other contestants step into the lights of the stage. His palms sweat as he claps for the runner up. Unexpectedly Edmonds hears his name announced through a frenzy of applause. A large check is quickly placed in front of him when realizes that all his hard work has paid off.
This Friday, Edmonds won the title of Mr. Collins 2012, representing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the annual all-male pageant.
“I am not sure what made me stand out from the rest of the contestants,” Edmonds said. “Honestly, I thought Clay Jones or Ethan Brillon would win the pageant. Really, anyone could have won though because everyone did great.”
Throughout the pageant, the boys had to prove their chops to the audience in various ways, including a talent showcase. Edmonds chose to present a short comedic video that he starred in to as his talent.
“Coach Rhodes really helped me a lot with the video,” Edmonds said. “Credit definitely goes to him for helping me out because I couldn’t have done it without him. I thought the contestant Travis Roper had the best talent though. He could sing like an angel and play the guitar like a demon.”
For Edmonds, competing in the pageant was not about winning a title, but about making new friends and getting to know fellow students.
“I liked being backstage with the other contestants because some of the guys I have never talked to,” Edmonds said. “It was nice to hang out with them and get to know them. I definitely made some new friends.”
As for being crowned this year’s Mr. Collins, Edmonds said he will not let the title go to his head. Instead, he will use it as leverage.
“I enjoyed the entire experience and it feels great to be named Mr. Collins,” he said. “I am going to use the title against my little brother, though.”
Click here for a slideshow of the night
