USAWA

By Eric Todd

Lifter of the month of December 2021 goes to Dan Wagman. Dan wins the lifter of the month by way of his Postal Championship victory. He edges out Dave Hahn, the winner of the Steve Schmidt Backbreaker Pentathlon. Dan gets the nod because he wins one of our Championship events, and does it by defeating the 2021 national champion, Abe Smith as well as the 2015 national champion, Randy Smith for the honors. This is Dan’s fourth time winning lifter of the month, having won in October 2012, April 2013. December 2016, and now December 2021. Dan was the 2012 overall World Champion as well. Dan is a phenomenal lifter that makes age and bodyweight a non-factor. Congrats to Dan on this well-deserved honor.

By Eric Todd

Clint Poore-The newest USAWA official

Clint Poore from Kentucky passed his examination and has successfully completed his 3 practical training sessions in order to become a level one certified official. Clint was able to complete his practical training sessions at “Lift for Leroy”, the “Postal Championship”, and “The Dino Gym Challenge.” Clint is an enthusiastic lifter who has hit the ground running in his USAWA participation.  I am looking forward to seeing if Clint can get the good folks of Kentucky to embrace the world of All-round lifting.  Congrats Clint!  And thank you for your willingness to step up and serve.

By Eric Todd

Our lifter for the month of November 2021 is Nick Frieders of Clark’s gym by his way of winning the Herman Goerner Deadlift Dozen-Plus One competition.  He did so by defeating the very tough and four-time heavy lift champion, John Carter.  He won the meet by almost 200 adjusted points and set three records in the process.  Records include a 280-pound Reeves Deadlift, a 145-pound index finger deadlift, and a 105-pound little finger deadlift, all at a bodyweight of 153.  Nick did some very heavy lifting and is quite new to the sport of All-Round.  I look forward to seeing where he goes.  Well deserved, and congratulations to Nick Frieders for being the 2021 November Lifter of the Month!

By Eric Todd

Well, the 2021 postal series is all wrapped up. The results are all in and tallied, so it is time to reflect on the postal series for the year.  We had a total of 35 lifters participate in at least one leg of the postal this year.  That compares to 39 in 2020 (which I attribute to covid due to the postals being about all we could compete it), 29 in 2019 and 28 in 2018.  I could go further back and might at some point, but you can see 35 was a pretty good turnout for us.  We offer a special recognition for those who compete in all 4 legs known as the Grand Slam Champions.  This year that title goes to the following lifters: Abe Smith, John Carter, Randy Smith, Dave DeForest, Nick Frieders, Barry Pensyl, Dave Hahn, Anthony Hose, Denny Habecker, Eric Todd, Chris Todd, Bill Clark, Lance Foster, Sylvia Stockall, RJ Jackson, Beth Skwarecki, Phoebe Todd, and Janet Thompson. Here are the overall postal series top lifters for 2021:

Women’s top 5

Men’s top 10

What if find remarkable is that the top 6, and 7 of the top 10 men’s lifters come from Clark’s Gym.  They have put together a heck of a year.  I look forward to what 2022 brings.  Good job to all of our postal lifters.  We need to keep this great series moving forward!