Weights being pushed and pulled, medals clanking around necks, and power behind every movement; powerlifting season has finally begun.
Spring sports have begun which means powerlifting meets have started. Boys and girls have four local powerlifting meets before moving onto regionals. Their next powerlifting meet is Feb. 12 at Orangefield High School.
“At a powerlifting meet each lifter will have nine total lift attempts,” Powerlifting coach John Snoddy said. “They get three squats, three bench presses, and three deadlifts to record the highest total they can.”
Snoddy said the best way to get involved in powerlifting is to go and talk to him about wanting to join. He said to make sure you listen to announcements after football season ends to know when the interest meeting for powerlifting will be held. At that meeting, you will get all the important information you need.
“My practices are Monday through Thursday until the meets start, then it moves Monday through Wednesday,” Snoddy said. The workouts are structures around the three lifts we compete in. Monday is squat focused, Tuesday is bench press focused, Wednesday is deadlift, and if there is not a week that Thursday, Thursday is a technique clean-up day and auxiliary day.”
Seniors Karlee Cooksey, Kiari Walsten, and Alasia Allen have all been in powerlifting since their freshman year of high school.
“Originally, my father introduced the sport to me and suggested that I would do very well in it,” Allen said. “I can definitely say he is the reason for my success.”
Like any other sport, athletes in powerlifting must balance both their sport and other responsibilities in their life. Walsten says that communication is important.
“I balance powerlifting with my other responsibilities by communicating,” Walsten said. “As long as I talk to my band director and one of my coaches, they help me balance practice time. I also ask my teachers at the beginning of the week what I will miss it there is a meet.”
Allen said if someone is thinking about joining powerlifting, success will always be worth it.
“Powerlifting is simple, but not easy,” Cooksey said. “There will be some ups and downs but that is part of the process to get better.”
