HARTFORD -- A Killingworth native is gracing the coveted pages of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.
Her journey has been anything but traditional.
"I used to come downstairs and be like 'everyone sit down, I want to put on a show.' I always knew I liked to be in front of cameras. I like to be in front of people," said 25-year-old Camille Kostek.
Kostek trained as a dancer, played lacrosse at Haddam Killingworth High School and Eastern Connecticut State University. In 2013, she landed a spot as an NFL cheerleader for the New England Patriots.
"I made it while I was going to school my junior and senior year commuting back-and-forth to Gillette Stadium. 2015 we won the Super Bowl," she said.
Kostek would then relocate to Beverly Hills to pursue a career as a fulltime model. She got in front of every agency she could but believe it or not, the 5'8" beauty wasn't meeting their standards.
"I tried for about eight months to sign with an agency there," she said. "Turn down, turn down, turn down. 'You need to lose weight. You're not tall enough. Come back in three weeks when you've lost x amount off your thighs and hips'."
But Kostek came across a chance to showcase her type, on her terms. Sports Illustrated swimsuit offered a first of it's kind open casting call in the magazine's 53-year history, looking for everyday women, all shapes and sizes.