Author Archives: Al Myers

Dino Gym: Club of the Year

By Al Myers

The nomination & voting period is over  for the 2017 USAWA yearly awards, to be awarded at the National Championships in several categories for outstanding performances within the USAWA.  I have just finished the tabulations and I am getting ready to contact the awards shop to get the awards made up.  So – I KNOW who the winners are but that’s still a secret until the awards presentation time!  But there is ONE AWARD that is announced ahead of time – the USAWA Club of the Year.  The reason it’s announced early is that it is really not a mystery as to who the winner is as this is the one award that is based on generating points instead of votes.  I have outlined this point system several times in the past so I won’t rehash all that now.  What I’m trying to say is this – anyone can add up the points on their own as ALL of the information is available on the website to do so, thus this winner is “no mystery”.

No club can win an award like this based on one individuals performance or effort.  It takes contributions of several.  I want to thank EVERYONE who was part of CLUB DINO GYM this past year, because this is EVERYONE’S AWARD.  I was VERY pleased how our gym functions were attended by gym members.  For the year 2017, the Dino Gym had a total of 16 lifters joined the USAWA that listed the Dino Gym as their member club. I want to recognize and thank these lifters now (in alphabetical order): Emily Burchett, Cale Dunlap, Ben Edwards, Calvin Heit, RJ Jackson, Cody Lokken, Zach Lucas, Dan Mather, Al Myers, LaVerne Myers, Molly Myers, Jason Payne, Brandon Rein, Dean Ross, Chad Ullom, and Dan Wagman.

The final standings for the 2017 USAWA CLUB OF THE YEAR (only top 5 listed):

1.  Dino Gym – 41 points

2.  Schmidt Barbell Club – 25 points

3.  Habecker’s Gym – 23 points

4.  Ambridge Barbell Club – 17 points

5.  KC Strongman – 13 points

As per the original rules for the Club of the Year, the defending USAWA Club of the Year is not eligible the following year, and instead is responsible for “passing the title” at the next year’s awards presentation.  Thus, Frank’s Barbell Club, the 2016 USAWA Club of the Year, is not in this year’s  rankings.

Nationals Reminder

By Al Myers

The USAWA National Championships is right “around the corner”! It won’t be long and several of us will be lifting weights in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Entries have been coming in this past month.  I don’t expect a huge turnout but looks like it will be a good meet from the entries I have already recieved.

Todays story is a REMINDER that the National Entry Deadline is face approaching! The deadline is May 15th which I will adhere to HARD as I need to get the appropriate shirts and awards ordered on May 16th to get them in hand by the meet date.

The location of the meet will be at my co-promoter Cody Lokken’s house at this address:

Cody Lokken
85 June Drive
Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931

Cody has a big garage will high ceilings which should work out great for our Championships.  He lives right across the street from Lori Wilson Beach and Park.  There is plenty of free parking there, with a short walk to his house. Cody and I will supply drinks, snacks, and a noon lunch, which is part of the entry fee.

The award ceremony will occur right after the meet, as well as our USAWA Annual Meeting. Cody is in the process of finding a nice restaurant that we all can go to afterwards for a nice meal. It won’t be an official banquet type setting, but rather an informal social meal. Hopefully it will be on the beach!

I am not recommending any hotels or lodging, as we don’t have a “host” hotel for this Championships.  There plenty of hotels in the vicinity of Cocoa Beach to choose from. As for myself, I plan to stay a couple of days after the meet to enjoy the local sights around Cocoa Beach. There are many things to see and do!

I’m really looking forward to the FIRST EVER USAWA National Championships in Florida.  And remember – if you plan to compete get that entry in soon!!!

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 2017 (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 2017
  • 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 next Saturday (May 12th).  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!!!!

Presidential Cup

By Al Myers

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT
THE 2018  USAWA PRESIDENTIAL CUP

For the seventh year in a row, the now “Annual” USAWA Presidential Cup is being hosted again by our USAWA President Denny Habecker.  This is one of the CHAMPIONSHIP events hosted in the USAWA, and is the Championships of Record Days.  It follows along “the lines” of the IAWA Gold Cup – a lifter picks their best lift and contests it for a USAWA record in this prestigious record day.  After all lifters have performed their record lifts, Denny will pick the effort that impresses him the most and award that lifter the PRESIDENTIAL CUP.  Only one lifter will receive this very important award.   If time allows, lifters will have the opportunity to perform other record day lifts.  So it is a good idea to come with the BIG LIFT in mind, but also be prepared to do other lifts for record if the time allows.

Now a little “rehash” on the Presidential Cup.  These are the guidelines:

The Presidential Cup will follow along some of the same guidelines as the Gold Cup, which is the IAWA meet which recognizes outstanding performances by lifters in the lift/lifts of their choosing.  The Gold Cup started in 1991 under the direction of then-IAWA President Howard Prechtel.  However there will be some differences in the guidelines of the USAWA Presidential Cup:

  • The Presidential Cup is hosted annually by the USAWA President only.
  • Must be a USAWA member to participate.
  • A lifter may choose any official USAWA  lift/lifts (up to a maximum of 5 lifts) to set a USAWA record/records in.
  • The lifter must open at a USAWA Record Poundage on first attempt.
  • The top performance record lift of the entire record day,  which will be chosen by the President, will be awarded the PRESIDENTIAL CUP.

MEET DETAILS:

USAWA Presidential Cup

Saturday, August 4th, 2018

Meet Director:  Denny Habecker

Location: Habecker’s Gym, Lebanon, PA

Lifts:  Bring your best lift for record!

Start time:  10 AM,  with weigh-ins before this

Entry Form:  None, but advance notice is required.

IAWA Lifting Etiquette

By Steve Gardner, IAWA(UK) President

After many many years of running and helping to run competitions, I have found there are a number of points that come up, time and time again, things that we get asked or confronted with, and which keep the Technical Officers and Officials on their toes. Some of it is easily answered and dealt with, some takes a little more explanation, these matters relate to us all: lifters officials and promoters…..here are some of the main points to remember and take on board with regard to competitions etc within our organisation………. Hence: Lifting Etiquette:

1 Entry Fees: competition entry fees should always be sent to and received by the Promoter at least 2 weeks before ( unless an arrangement has been made with the promoter) it is very important to those running competitions because they have to order trophies and organise premises etc to make the competition happen. If for some reason the entrant does not attend the competition a refund would not normally be paid.

2 Returning Main Trophies: it is of course very important that main awards are returned to promoters in time to be presented to the new winners, even if the past winner can not enter or be there, it is a rotten shame if a new winner is deprived of their moment of presentation because of another’s error in not returning ( it is hoped that it will be returned with engraving done also, where required)

3 Weigh In: lifters should weigh in in underwear only ( naked if it’s close on the line) it is not acceptable to have lifters trying to weigh wearing clothing? making them heavier of course, females will usually have a female weigh official, but can weigh wearing lifting costume if they wish, or need too, and an allowance of .5 kilos (half a kilo) is given.

4 it is important that lifters have joined or rejoined IAWA before being allowed to lift, it is important that promoters always remember to check this with any lifters entering their competition!

5 Attire on the platform: wrist wraps are always allowed, knee wraps / sleeves are allowed for front and back squat, no hats to be worn, shoes should always be worn, no stocking feet. Lifters can wear a lifting suit/ leotard or shorts and a t shirt, however the sleeves should finish above the elbows and shorts above knees for obvious reasons (officials need a clear view of rules of lifts being met) wearing two pairs of shorts is not allowed as can be seen as extra supportive clothing ( it has become a habit of wearing legging style shorts under regular shorts… so this is not allowed…..only underwear) also a belt can only be maximum of 4 inches wide, and wider, body hugging supportive belts cannot be worn, again one belt only is allowed . Only chalk can be used on the hands (and then, only on the hands, not legs or shoulders etc) plasters or dressings can only be worn to cover a blood wound and even then only when sanctioned by an official.

6 Questioning of Decisions by Officials: lifters should not call out from the platform to question any decision, it is crass and unprofessional… simply approach the official off the platform and ask politely…..at the appropriate moment

7 Officials position: Referees should always be sure they are in a position to see the lifting, and should move their chair or position if needs be
Also… it is unprofessional for officials to openly discuss decisions made whilst at the platform so that others in the room can hear the conversation. Better to discuss quietly between lifts, groups or sessions if necessary
Also… when using sticks and not a light system, Officials should be careful not to look at other Officials decisions before showing their own, even if done unwittingly, it looks unprofessional and as though the ref doesn’t know what signal to give
Also ……..as a centre Ref, remember to give clear audible signals. ( and visual, if it is very noisy in the room)

There may well be some points we have missed here, but I think we have most of the regular ones highlighted. IAWA is a great organisation, run by enthusiastic volunteers and lifters. As i mentioned, these points are for us all to follow : lifters promoters and officials, and if we all try to do our bit and keep these points in mind it makes the whole organisation and the running of competitions go so much smoother!

Thanks for reading these notes, hope they all make sense, lets carry on having great lifting and keep our organisation great too…..and of course ‘have great fun out there…..’

Cheers all

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