2024 Q3 Secretary’s Report

By Beth Skwarecki

Hi folks! I thought I’d start giving a rundown of business that has come before the board over each quarter, as well as routine business that has crossed my desk as Secretary. This report is for Q3, July through September 2024.

As you’ll see, sometimes our plate is relatively empty, and sometimes we have several orders of business in the same week. I do post notices on the website when something happens that is important for membership to know promptly. I hope this quarterly report is helpful for conveying the big picture of all that we do behind the scenes.

I took over as Secretary at the National Meeting in June of this year, so my first few weeks were spent learning my new duties under the guidance of former Secretary Eric Todd, and tying up loose ends from the National Meeting (posting the minutes, updating documents, etc). Apologies if I’ve forgotten any events from those early weeks. What follows are my notes from Q3 (July through September).

  • 7/21/2024: The 12th edition of the Rulebook was published online, incorporating updates from 2022-2024. See announcement here. 
  • 7/29/2024: Eric Todd stepped down as Website Director, on the grounds that that it makes more sense for the Secretary rather than the Treasurer to hold that position. The board unanimously appointed Beth Skwarecki to the position.
  • 8/29/2024: The records director approached the board with a member’s concerns about discrepancies between the rulebook and record book on how Weaver Stick records were kept. The board unanimously approved changes to the rulebook to resolve this issue. These changes and their rationale were documented here.
  • 9/8/2024: A positive drug test was obtained from a lifter, and a 6-month suspension applied (first offense). That member was removed from the membership roster.
  • 9/11/2024: Abe Smith stepped down as both Records Director and At-Large EB member. The board asked for nominations for his EB replacement.
  • 9/12/2024: Remaining board members unanimously appointed Tony Lupo to Records Director. Tony had already been involved in updating records, and Abe suggested him as his replacement in this position.
  • 9/13/2024: A member brought some possible errors in Weaver Stick records to the Secretary’s attention. However, he declined to share documentation that would allow the records to be corrected. Anyone with information about such errors is invited to contact the Records Director or the Secretary.
  • 9/13/2024: The same member also alleged (in a website article submission and subsequent emails) that the board acted improperly in changing the Weaver Stick rules and that the Secretary/Website Director violated unspecified duties of her job. Upon being reminded that complaints must be filed according to the Bylaws (Article 21, part C), he declined to file a complaint.
  • 9/16/2024: The 13th edition of the Rulebook was published online, containing the Weaver Stick updates.
  • 9/23/2024: Remaining board members appointed Sanjiv Gupta to the At-Large executive board seat.
  • 9/23/2024: The board was asked to mediate a disagreement between IAWA leadership and a US-based meet promoter who was bidding for an international event. After communicating with the parties involved, and determining that IAWA’s procedures were being followed appropriately, the board decided not to intervene.
  • 9/25/2024: New Records Director Tony Lupo reported that the records team has published an update to the individual records list and to the Century Club. A further update was made on 9/30/2024.
  • During this quarter,
    • 18 members joined or renewed
    • 11 new meet sanctions were approved
    • 5 members joined the Century Club of people with 100 or more records:
      • Stacy Todd
      • Allison Lupo
      • Clint Poore
      • John Carter
      • Joshua Monk
    • 5 members moved up the ranks in our officials system:
      • Kim Van Wagner and Christopher Lansdown passed their rules tests and are now officials-in-training.
      • Crystal Diggs passed her practicals and is now a Level 1 official.
      • Abe Smith and Beth Skwarecki each documented 25+ meets’ worth of experience, and are now Level 2 officials.

Please direct any questions, concerns, etc to the Secretary at bethskw@gmail.com.

Records updated through 8/16/2024

Dear USAWA members:

       Our records team is moving on getting caught up. As of this update, we are halfway through August 2024. This includes up to the Two-Fisted Challenge Meet of 10 – 11 August 2024. We have three more to do from August including the IAWAs. We have two in September not including the 3rd Quarterlies. We hope to be current by this time next week.

Current records are here.

Tony Lupo
Records Director

Apple Festival World Record Breakers Classic – Results

Results are in for the Apple Festival World Record Breakers Classic, although the day turned out very different than planned thanks to Hurricane Helene. The apple festival was canceled, and the record day moved to Buffville Gym where just two intrepid lifters, Clint Poore and Ashley Stearns, set their records. Results are attached.

2024-APPLE-FESTIVAL-WORLD-RECORD-BREAKERS-CLASSIC-Download

National Championship Records

by Sanjiv Gupta

Al Myers penned a piece on National Records published June 21,2012.  He laid out a case for recognizing special National Records that met a few criteria:

  • Set on the stage of the National Championships – Harder than setting a record at home.
  • Is an ALL age record for the weight class – Age group records are not recognized.

The piece did not consider that the National Record (NAT) set for a given weight class and lift could be exceeded in future competition.  To break the NAT, an athlete would have to exceed not only the NAT but also the current ALL age weight class record.

The 2024 National Championship was certainly amazing and much has been written on the results and overall National Champions Beth Skwarecki and Abe Smith.

I wanted to add my observations on new NAT.  (15) new NAT were set.  (9) on the women’s side and (6) on the men’s side.  Your National Champions, Beth and Abe set (3) NAT each.  Lisa and Stacy both set (2) NAT.  David, Leroy, Lillian, Phoebe and Everett each set one.  As a side note, I was confused as to whether Junior Records count towards ALL records and NAT records.  The historic record list seems inconsistent, but it is also harder to get a snapshot in time of what the ALL record was during that year’s National Championship.

Clean & Press, Fulton Bar (1st time at Nationals)

  • Abe Smith (85kg) – 215 pounds
  • David DeForest (80kg) – 105 pounds
  • Beth Skwarecki (70kg) – 100 pounds
  • Lisa Gore (100kg) – 75 pounds
  • Leroy Todd (60kg) – 50 pounds
  • Lillian Todd (75kg) – 60 pounds
  • Phoebe Todd (65kg) – 50 pounds

Pullover & Press (8th time at Nationals)

  • Abe Smith (85kg) – 295 pounds

Hack Lift (4th time at Nationals)

  • Beth Skwarecki (70kg) – 295 pounds
  • Stacy Todd (90kg) – 200 pounds
  • Everett Todd (50kg) – 125 pounds

Deadlift, Fulton, Ciavattone Grip (2nd time at Nationals)

  • None

Snatch, One Arm, Left/Right (14th time at Nationals)

  • Abe Smith (85kg) – 130 pounds (Left)
  • Stacy Todd (90kg) – 50 pounds (Left)

Zercher Lift (18th time at Nationals)

  • Beth Skwarecki (70kg) – 225 pounds
  • Lisa Gore (100kg) – 90 pounds

As there were only (6) official lifts, only (6) National Records had a chance of being set.  Record Session lifts and Exhibition lifts do not count.  It also gets progressively more difficult to set a National Record as the ALL (age) weight class record tends to be set and bested more frequently.

To date (61) different lifts have been contested at the National Championships.  With left/right designation on the one arm lifts, (72) of (219) lifts in the records list have recognized National Records.

In the early days of the USAWA it was not uncommon to contest (10) different lifts to crown National Champions.  During the last decade (5) or (6) lifts seem to be the norm.

Good luck to all of the rising stars who want to set a National Record.

New records director, records update, and Century Club update!

By Tony Lupo

I am honored to be the new Record Keeper for the USAWA. This is a big job and I hope to live up to the trust put in me by the executive board. I would like to thank my predecessors, John Strangeway and Abe Smith. They did a great job keeping the list intact. It is a huge job.

I also want to thank Sanjiv Gupta for his help as well. Since the Nationals, Sanjiv, Abe, and I have acted as a team in all things. The records are now up-to-date through the Second Quarter Postals (6/30/2024). If you spot any errors in your records, let me know! I can be reached at lupoa0313@gmail.com.

We should have some rapid updates coming out in the next week as we work through July, then August, and September. After we get caught up, then we’ll tackle the TEAM LIFT file.

Welcome and congratulations to newcomers Stacy Todd and Allison Lupo to the Century Club on the Women’s side! On the men’s side, welcome and congratulations to Clint Poore, John Carter, and Joshua Monk! Thank you all! 

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