Author Archives: Al Myers

Yearly Award Nominations

by Al Myers

It’s that time of the year again to nominate deserving lifters for the yearly awards!  The USAWA award program was started in 2009 to honor those individuals that displays outstanding achievements throughout the year in different categories.  I have been the USAWA Award Director that entire time and was the one who started the USAWA Awards Program.  Part of the USAWA budget goes to these awards, which means that part of your membership dues support this program. These awards are awarded at the Annual General Meeting of the USAWA, which occurs at the same time as the National Championships.   It is important to remember when “casting your vote” that these awards are for the calendar year 2014 (which is the calendar the USAWA follows for memberships, etc.).  Now for a little “overview” of the rules for nominations:

  • You  must be a USAWA member to make a nomination or cast a vote
  • Nominated individuals must be a USAWA members to be eligible
  • Only one individual may be nominated per person per award
  • Two nominations for each award may be submitted, one for your choice of the Winner and one for your choice of the runner-up.
  • The awards are for the calendar year 2014
  • An individual may be nominated for more than one award

These are the different awards for which you should chose your nominations for:

 Athlete of the Year – This award is for the individual who has accomplished the most athletically within the last year in the USAWA. Top placings at the Nationals and World Championships should figure in high. Also, participation in other Championship  Competitions such as the Heavy Lift Championships, the Grip Championships, the Club Championships, the OTSM Championships, the Team Championships, or the National Postal Championships could factor in.  Participation in elite IAWA events such as the Gold Cup should make an influence on earning this award as well.

Leadership Award – This is for an individual that has shown exceptional leadership qualities within the USAWA during the past year. Things that should be looked at are: going above the level expected of an Officer position, promoting sanctioned events with emphasis being on promoting National or World Competitions, promoting the USAWA by developing a strong club, writing articles for publications about the USAWA, or through other means.

Sportsmanship Award – This goes to an individual who possesses and shows great sportsmanship within the USAWA. The act of sportsmanship may be by conduct at all events, or by an specific example of exceptional sportsmanship.

Courage Award – This goes to an individual who shows the courage to overcome an obstacle in order to return to competition. This may be a comeback from an injury, or just having to deal with difficult personal issues but still shows the courage to compete in the USAWA.

Newcomer Award– This award goes to an individual who in new to the USAWA or has become involved again. It doesn’t have to go to someone in their first year of being involved in the USAWA.

As stated earlier in the rules, I would like you to submit your choice for the WINNER and your choice for the RUNNER UP for each award.  I will score it this way:  for each nomination per award I will give 2 points for the nominated winner and 1 point for the nominated runner up.  I will then add up all the points from all nominations with the person receiving the most points declared the winner and the one with the second most points the runner up.  So you can see that the Award Winners are chosen by YOU THE MEMBERSHIP!   That’s the way it should be done.

Please email me at amyers@usawa.com with your nominations.  The deadline for this is this Friday.  I’m only giving a week because it has been my experience with this is that if a person does not make their nominations shortly after reading this announcement, it never gets done.  So make it easy on yourself  (and me!) and turn your nominations in today!!!!

Nationals Update

by Al Myers

Our USAWA National Championships is fast approaching!  If you haven’t sent in your entry form, now is the time to get that done.  Meet director Denny Habecker has told me that everything is on schedule for a great meet in York.  This year Nationals will be a one day meet on Saturday.  Denny and Judy are planning on having a picnic at their place on Sunday afternoon for all those that want to attend. This will give us a great time to “unwind” after the meet.  The Annual General Meeting of the USAWA will be held on Sunday before the picnic.

Denny has also picked a couple of hotels in York for us.  The contact information is below:

Comfort Inn:

• Double Queen and King rooms are available (smoking or non-smoking).

• Check-in: 3 pm, Check-out: 11 am.

• Continental breakfast included.

2250 North George St., York, PA 17406, (717) 699-1919.

http://www.comfortinn.com/ires/en-US/html/HotelHome?hotel=PA257

Homewood Suites by Hilton:

• Studio rooms are available in this new hotel.

• Check-in: 3 pm, Check-out: 12 pm.

• Complimentary “Suite Start” hot breakfast every day.

• “Welcome Home” dinner buffet Monday –Thursday nights from 5 pm –7 pm.

200 Masonic Drive, York, PA 17406, (717) 434-1848. www.homewoodsuitesyork.com.

Heavy Lift Championships

by Al Myers

Group picture from the 2015 USAWA Heavy Lift Championships.

Group picture from the 2015 USAWA Heavy Lift Championships.

Yesterday Eric Todd hosted the 2015 USAWA Heavy Lift Championships at his gym in Cameron, Missouri.  Actually ET lives outside of Cameron in the boondocks and his address is listed as Turney, MO which I’ve yet to identify.  I’m betting it is a collection of deer blinds. (the road leading into his place is Deer Creek!).

But on to the big meet! I’m writing this report because Eric deserves high praise for his efforts yesterday, and I know he is too modest to truly report the day’s events as they unfolded.  ET has one of those unique gyms that only hardcore lifters would appreciate.  It is a big Quonset shed which he refers to as his “big tin can”.  Inside the gym really reflects ET’s personality – all serious heavy duty equipment with loads of strongman stuff, rusty bars and plates, concrete platforms, and a big American Flag hanging on one end.  No frills here. It’s a serious place. It provides the perfect training environment for someone who wants to get strong.

I consider the Heavy Lift Championships as one of the premier championships the USAWA hosts every year.  It has a rich history, and it’s longevity rivals our USAWA Nationals.   We have tried to make this meet a rotational annual event to provide opportunities around the country for participation. This was Eric’s first promotion of the Championships, and he did a superb job!  Very few places have the adequate equipment to put on the Heavy Lift Championships, but ET has all the iron anyone needs (I counted 24 100 pound plates laying around!).

A great turnout made the day a great meet. I didn’t lift as I figured I was more needed officiating and scorekeeping.  It was great seeing Mary Mac there as well as young Christian.  He’s a junior lifter just getting involved in the USAWA and he shows A LOT OF PROMISE!  This was his first experience with the chain lifts, and with a little more seasoning will only increase his poundages.  Mary has been involved with the USAWA for many years off and on.  It is so nice to see her back getting involved this year.

I was so glad to see our Prez Denny back in action.  Actually I was  a little surprised to see that he was lifting in this meet!  It’s so obvious that Denny loves the USAWA!  Art made the trip with him and put up great lifts.  Sometimes I forget Art’s age – because it’s hard to believe that someone who is 87 would actually being doing a hardcore meet like this!

Of course Dean Ross was here.  These past few years there has not been a more active lifter than Dean.   Dean lifted great – and even had the energy to do some records afterwards.  KCSTRONGMAN gym member Lance Foster made another solid performance.

The big showdown was between ET, Chad, and Joe.  I knew this would be an interesting day.  All three of these guys looked in great shape, and all three of them are past Heavy Lift Overall Champions.  Chad came out of the gate hard (ok….I had to get that horse race joke in there somewhere since the Kentucky Derby was going on at the same time as this meet) with a HUGE personal record Neck Lift of 1020# to put him in the early lead.   Then after the Hand and Thigh Lift Joe took over first for a while, even though ET lifted his best H&T ever with a 1510# lift (breaking my record of 1505#).  For those of you that have been around a while know that when ET started the USAWA over 10 years ago he put up a 1475# hand and thigh the FIRST TIME he ever tried it.   I knew this day was coming that he would break 1500, and I predict that he will go well over 1600 before long.

The last lift of the Heavy Lift Championships is the Hip Lift.  I knew this was going to decide who the Overall Champ would be.  Chad was conservative with his opener, which gave the advantage to Joe and Eric.  I kept waiting for ET to declare his opener and he kept putting it off.  Joe came in at 1670#, and then ET declared 1870 to start which put the pressure on Joe.  Joe made the big jump with him, but just came up a hair short.  Looking back Joe should have jumped to only 1800 which was all he really needed in the end.  ET then went on to break the overall record in the 115K class with a 2270# lift and the overall title.

This was one of the best Heavy Lift Championships I have been part of.  Lots of great lifters and lots of great lifts.  I’ve always been a big fan of the history of the heavy lifts, and in my book this meet put Eric Todd into the group as one of the best heavy lifters in the history of the USAWA.

MEET RESULTS:

2015 USAWA Heavy Lift Championships
May 2nd, 2015
Cameron, Missouri

Meet Director:  Eric Todd

Meet Scorekeeper:  Al Myers

Meet Officials ( 3 official system used): Al Myers (head), Denny Habecker, Art Montini, Eric Todd, Joe Garcia, Lance Foster, Chad Ullom

Lifts:  Neck Lift, Hand and Thigh Lift, Hip Lift

WOMENS DIVISION

 LIFTER  AGE  BWT  NECK H&T  HIP  TOT  PTS
 Mary McConnaughey  55  311  180  400  810  1390  1152.1

Extra for Records:

Mary McConnaughey – Hand and Thigh Lift 500#

MENS DIVISION

 LIFTER  AGE BWT  NECK H&T HIP TOT PTS
 Eric Todd 40  252  900  1510  2270  4680  3734.2
 Joe Garcia 61  209  550 1270  1670  3490  3710.7
 Chad Ullom 43  261  1020 1270  1850  4140  3343.3
 Denny Habecker 72  195  0 620  900  1520  1831.8
 Art Montini 87  175  180 400  700  1280  1829.2
 Dean Ross 72  252  240 700  760  1700  1786.2
 Christian Schimpf 16  151  200 500  760  1460  1704.1
 Lance Foster 49  319  340 700  870  1910  1482.1

Extra Attempts for Records:

Dean Ross – Reeves Deadlift 205#
Dean Ross – Peoples Deadlift 295#
Dean Ross – 12″ Base Deadlift 225#
Dean Ross – Heels Together Deadlift 225#
Dean Ross – 2 Bar Deadlift 200#
Eric Todd – Index Finger Lift Right 135#
Eric Todd – Index Finger Lift Left 120#
Denny Habecker – 12″ Base Deadlift 225#

NOTES:  Age is age in years. BWT is bodyweight in pounds.  All lifts recorded in pounds.  TOT is total pounds lifted.  PTS are overall adjusted points for age and bodyweight corrections.

Heavy Lift Update

by Eric Todd

As the Heavylift championship is coming right up, I wanted to post an update.  First of all, I wanted to touch base on the record breaking event following the meet.  I will have all records for the 3 lifts being contested in the championship; however, if you want to attempt a record in any other discipline, you need to email me at SalGuimino@yahoo.com so that I can be sure to print off the records for that list.  It will also help me be sure to have the appropriate equipment out in the barn.

Secondly, I wanted to give directions for anyone who does not know their way through God’s country.

from the North: take I-35 south until you pass Cameron.  About 4 miles past Cameron, you will come to the HWY 69 exit.  Take that exit, and take a let on 69 at the top of the ramp. Take 69 South 5 or 6 miles until you get to 292 on the left.  Take 292 maybe a mile to the first right, deer creek.  Wind around on deer creek for a spell until you get to the first left, 286.  Take 286th about a mile.  Mine is the third house on the right.  The meet is in the big tin can.

From the South:  take I-35 North until you get to the Lathrop/Polo exit, which is HWY116.  Take the exit, then take a right at the top on 116.  Take 116 a little over a mile, then take a left on HWY69.  Take 69 North about 4 miles, then take a right on 280th.  Take 280th about a mile to your first left, Deer Creek.  Take Deer Creek about a mile North until your first right, 286th.  Take 286th about a mile until you get to the third house on the right.  The meet is in the big tin can.

We have an excellent group competing for the Heavylift Chamionship, and I am very excited to be hosting.  See you next weekend!

1st Quarter Postal

 

by Denny Habecker

MEET RESULTS
1ST QUARTER POSTAL SERIES

Results:

USAWA 1st Quarter Postal Meet
March 30th, 2015

Meet Promoter: Denny Habecker

Lifts: Pullover and Press, Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip, Clean and Jerk – Behind Neck

Lifters with Certified Officials:

Eric Todd – Official Lance Foster
Lance Foster – Official Eric Todd
Barry Bryan – Official Denny Habecker and Art Montini
Denny Habecker – Official Barry Bryan and Art Montini
Art Montini – Official Denny Habecker and Barry Bryan
Chad Ullom – Official Al Myers and LaVerne Myers
Dean Ross – Official Al Myers, LaVerne Myers, and Chad Ullom
LaVerne Myers – Official Al Myers and Chad Ullom
Crystal Diggs – Official Ruth Jackson

WOMENS DIVISION

 LIFTER  AGE  BWT P&P  CURL  C&J TOT  PTS
 Ruth Jackson  53  107 115 90 90  295  464.0
 Mary McConnaughey  55  298 125 95 65  285  240.7
 Crystal Diggs  28  154 43 40 50  133  139.3

MENS DIVISION

 LIFTER  AGE  BWT P&P  CURL C&J  TOT  PTS
 Eric Todd  40  261  381  216  231  828  649.7
 Barry Bryan  57  190  209  143  176  528  572.4
 Chad Ullom  43  255  253  198  132  583  477.1
 Denny Habecker  72  190  176  99  99  374  457.9
 Dean Ross  72  252  154  137  75  366  384.8
 Christian Schimpf  16  150  125  115  75  315  375.1
 Al Myers  48  233  281  176  —  417  374.1
 LaVerne Myers  70  242  132  137  75  344  363.7
 Art Montini  87  171  101  66  66  233  337.9
 Lance Foster  49  315  160  151  111  422  330.1

NOTES: All lifts recorded in pounds. BWT is bodyweight in pounds. TOT is total pounds lifted. PTS are adjusted points corrected for age and bodyweight.

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