The Weight Class is in Session Powerlifting competitors discuss goals, schedule of the team

Kaitlyn Nash | Co-Editor

The new year marks a time for resolutions and goals. For the powerlifting team, goals are integral to their success.

“We want to qualify as many as we can both, boys and girls, to regionals and potentially to state,” powerlifting coach Peter Noonan said. “I believe that this is the biggest boys and girls team at least in the most recent history, I don’t know if in all of the history of powerlifting. We are very thankful for the opportunity to go to these meets and compete. It’s great that so many student athletes from other areas are being involved, whether it’s ROTC, swimming, cheer, [or] basketball.”

Powerlifting and weightlifting are two different sports as powerlifting consists of three lifts rather than two. Competitors are divided by sex and body weight and are given three attempts to bench, squat or deadlift however much weight they can. The winner of each category is based off of the sum of all three weight totals for each round.

“For me, personally, I don’t feel stressed at all because I know if I’m over a weight class that I’m still going to be competing in the meet that day,” junior Ashley Cornelius said. “Depending on my weight, I might not be able to go to the next meet, because you can only take a certain amount of people for each weight class, but Coach doesn’t put any stress on us at all. They are like, ‘Hey, this is your weight and we’re going to make it work.’”

The team has practice every day in the morning from 7:15 to 8:15 and in the afternoon from 5:30 to 6:30. However, every day of practice is not required.

“Fridays, if we have a Saturday meet, might be our one off day or it might be a lighter day in preparation,” Noonan said. “It’s either in the morning or afterschool depending on your schedule. We’re not trying to pull that athlete part for the sake of coach ego. It’s all about making sure that the athlete does their best and is ready to go on meet day.”

Because weight is an important part of powerlifting, sometimes meeting their class can be difficult for team members. However, Cornelius says that the coaches look after everyone to make sure they are safely cutting or gaining weight.

“If we’re just barely over the weight class that we want to be in, if we feel comfortable with it, [Coach will] have us run around there at the meet for a second to make it. But he’s like, ‘If you don’t make it, you don’t make it.’”

As the team starts to hone in on Regionals, all competitors and coaches are looking out for ways to succeed.

“The goal is always first place,” junior Asher Kamenicky said. “I got first place at the first meet I went to, which was sort of like a mini meet, and I got fourth place at the meet at Buda.”

Not only that, but competitors and coaches have to keep an eye on the rulebook to avoid getting disqualified. Because judges are right in front of competitors while they are lifting, any mistakes can easily be pointed out.

“There’s more than just lifting weights and trying to put on different weights,” Noonan said. “You have to make sure you follow the different rules. As we get closer and closer to the Regional qualification, the judges become very, very nitpicky about certain things inside of the rules, so we want to make sure we are aware of that day in and day out.”

After meets are over, it’s always a priority of competitors to take care of themselves and their bodies.

“Afterwards, I usually go take an ice bath and make sure I get something to eat,” junior Jay Simmons said. “I get a lot of sleep.”

At the end of the day, all competitors have a healthy environment to come back to, according to Cornelius.

“There’s definitely a lot of joking around in the environment,” Cornelius said. “It’s just so funny. The coaches joke with us.