Craig Childress purposefully checked a couple of bags before he flew to Tampa, Florida to compete against America’s best tradespeople at the Elite Trades Championship Series (ETCS).
“You know, just in case (I was bringing anything back with me),” Childress said.
It’s a smart thing he did.
Childress, a plumber at Boston University, not only won the Plumbing National Championship, but he also took home the grand prize in the pro category of the HVAC ServiceTitan National Championship—becoming the first-ever crossover champion.
That meant those checked bags would now be full of trophies and oversized checks: $10,000 for winning plumbing, and $40,000 for HVAC.
“Professionally, this is the most ridiculous thing that’s ever happened to me,” Childress said in a daze of joy as he lugged around the two heavy trophies moments after winning the HVAC competition, his wife Rachel beaming at his side. “This whole thing has just been an amazing experience. I’m so thankful.”
The ETCS is a celebration of skill, expertise and commitment among America's best apprentices and professionals in the trades, offering more than $300,000 in cash and sponsored prizes. And all of that was on display in Tampa.
Other top finishers in the Plumbing National Championship include David Shanor (2nd Place) and Joe Jaspers (3rd Place), and in the HVAC competition, Dagner Espinoza (2nd Place) and Lee Morris Jr. (3rd Place).
As for Childress, right after winning his second championship in two days, he did what he did after winning the plumbing competition: He FaceTimed his 12-year-old daughter.
“She told me she was proud of me, and it made me teary,” Childress said.
More HVAC Championship Coverage
• Apprentice Division: Patrick Boldt makes his second trip to Tampa, and this time comes away with the trophy and the title. Read more.
• Roundup: How the Elite Trades series inspires the next generation of the trades. Read more.
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