By Eric Todd
Calling all USAWA lifters! The time is now to get your entry in to the world championship meet being held here in the states by none other than our president, Denny Habecker in Pennsylvania. The entry deadline is set for September 2nd for anyone who wants to be guaranteed an award or a shirt. Get those entries in the mail! This is a great opportunity to make your mark on the world stage. Hope some of you can get out to PA and represent the great USA.
By Eric Todd
Joe Garcia-Courage Award runner-up
The courage award description reads as follows:
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.
As was already announced, first place in this category went to Dean Ross. I was able to get the runner-up award delivered last weekend at Clark’s Birthday Bash, and it went to Joe Garcia of Clark’s Gym. Joe is a Hall of Famer from the class of 1997. He can boast by far the best Hand and Thigh lift in the history of the IAWA and the USAWA. It was the fighting spirit by which he worked toward these two accolades that allowed him to successfully conquer one of his biggest challenges to date. This past year saw him battle what seemingly could have been a deadly bout of Covid. It was so bad, that he had to be hospitalized and put on a ventilator, which is often a death sentence in these kinds of cases. It wasn’t to be in Joe’s case, though. He got off the ventilator, out of the hospital, and got back to work. Last time I saw, he was up to completing somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 pushups. It is clearly a rough thing to have endured but does make him more than worthy of this award. Way to go, Joe. Glad you are still kicking, and congrats on the award!
By Eric Todd
Club of the year: Clark’s Gym. Pictured: Joe Caron, Abe Smith, Dave DeForest, Randy Smith, Bill Clark, and Tony Lupo. Not pictured: a host of lifters
I was finally able to award the Club of the Year awards over the past 2 weekend. The first place finisher was none other than Clark’s Gym. Clark’s is our oldest and longest running club having been officially recognized as a club in the USAWA since 1993. I can only assume that is when they started recognizing clubs, as I know Clark’s Gym had lifters lifting in the USAWA since its inception. Clark’s had not been exceptionally active for a few years, but made an absolute resurgence over the past couple. Bill and company have seen old members who have been away for a time return to their all-round roots, as well as drawing in a slew of new lifters into the fold, bring new blood to our organization. They were the top club at 2021 nationals. At that same national championships, they took down the top 3 spots in the men’s division, and 4 of the top ten. They had seven of the top ten in the postal championship. Two of the top three in the Heavy Lift were Clark’s Gym members, and they had a representative of the gym at Worlds who came in 5th. They had 20 members in 2021, and 22 as of the writing of this article. I don’t know how the points came out, but I cannot imagine it was close.
KCSTRONGMAN is Runner-Up. Pictured: Lilly Todd, Eric Todd, Everett Todd, John Strangeway, Leroy Todd, Stacy Todd, and Chris Todd. Not Pictured: Lance Foster
Coming in second was my own KCSTRONGMAN club. Talk about new blood, I think we have collectively reduced the mean age of the USAWA by like 40 years. We were the runner-up club at 2021 nationals, having three lifters in the top ten (2 in the men’s division and one in the women’s). We also had two in the top five at the heavy lift. We had 10 lifters in 2021, and 9 members as of the writing of this article.
I truly believe that one of the means by which we can grow is through the club system. So find some like-minded people and start up a club if you are flying solo. Maybe next year your club will be the recipient of one of these plaques!
By Eric Todd
John McKean executing a one dumbbell deadlift
It is with a sad heart that I bring you this news. I got an email today from Marilyn McKean informing me that on Monday, August 15, her husband John passed away unexpectedly. John is a hall of famer (class of 1999), a century club member coming in at number 6 with 329 records, and an overall class act. He worked the mic for meets, wrote articles for the website (usually quite entertaining, mind you), and was just an overall wealth of knowledge in the strength world. I recently came across a series of articles he wrote for the kettlebell company “Dragon Door.” Just a month or two ago, I enjoyed an email chain John and I had going about all round lifting and the USAWA in general. Our hearts go out to Marilyn and the rest of John’s family. John, you will be missed, old buddy. Train in peace…
By Bill Clark
Frank’s Barbell Club takes on the challenge from Clark’s Championship Gym
The team match between Clark’s Gym and Frank’s Gym (in Massachusetts) went from a seven-man match to a match between four men and a woman. Clark’s Gym was the easy winner – 11,892.64 points to 7,893.59 pts.
The top six lifters were from Clark’s Gym and it was a close battle that went to the final lift of the day before John Carter beat Travis Luther for the overall title.
It came down to the final hip lift. With both lined up to attempt 1,905, an age group record for Carter (age 63), Travis had already broken the 80-kg, record of 1655 set at the Nationals in Columbia in 1995 by Cleveland’s Bob Hirsh. Travis sent the mark bye-bye with his 1815. The record was 27 years old.
As they headed into the final hip lift, Carter had exactly a three-point lead over Luther – 2,744 to 2,741. Rather than take something lighter than the 1,905 Carter chose, Travis decided to go head-to-head. He rolled it, but couldn’t hold it.
Carter did his usual psych job on himself and roared at the bar – and it came up.
The record list took a beating as 48 marks fell during the record day following the competition – 25 of them in Massachusetts and 23 in Columbia.
Take a good look at the standings. Hard to believe that Randy Smith wound up sixth and Abe Smith was fourth, losing to Carter, Luther and Dave Hahn, who slipped into third place as he slid into the 85-89 age group and did a record 820 hip lift in the 65 kg, class.
Janet Thompson, who had served on a televised panel concerning women in politics only four days earlier, found time between horse shows to add 10 records to her ever-growing list – which will soon get expanded as she will move into the 65-69 age group. Janet is also a leader in the horse show industry and is serving her third term as a county commissioner. She’s one of a kind.
Ol’ Clark actually did a few records as he lifted for the last time in the 85-89 age group. He kept his distance and stayed masked as Tony Lupo and Dave DeForest loaded his weights and judged from a distance. I had tested positive for covid-19 a week earlier. We were the only three in the special session. I tested negative two days later. Now it is on to the 90-94 age group. One last personal note: Covid had reduced my bodyweight to the 90-kg. class for the first time since I went through basic training in the heat at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, in the summer of 1951.
The day was a throwback to the sessions that brought many of the USAWA leaders from the past to Columbia and training sessions in the gym with Carter, Garcia, Abe, Steve Schmidt, Art Montini, Dale Friesz, Tom Ryan, James Foster, Howard Prechtel and Noi Phumchaona, Kerry and Casey Clark, Amorkor Ollennuking, John Vernacchio, all three Zerchers, and a guy named Dale Spry, who had every chance to match Carter and Garcia in the chain lifts had he stayed with the game.
We missed the Nova Scotia gang, who would have really spiced up this competition. We hope they will lift in absentia at the 90th Birthday Party Bash later this month and send along their results.
As I struggled with five pounds in the one-hand swing earlier this week, I took solace in the fact that I am probably the only USAWA member – or lifter in an organization – who was competing as a positive for covid and had 11 total joint replacements at age 89. If you know of another, I challenge him or her. At least for now, covid is not a requirement for the match – just 11 total joint replacements for openers. I tested negative on August 4.
Officials (The 3 official system was used for both clubs):
Clark’s Championship Gym: Bill Clark, Dave Deforest, Abe Smith, Tony Lupo (Tony is an official in training)
Frank’s Barbell Club: Frank Ciavattone, Mark Raymond, Chris Lestan
Bodyweight is in kilos. All lifts and total are in pounds.
Lifts marked with an asterisk (*) are national records. Lifters marked with a pound sign (#) lifted with no official, so are not eligible for records.
Team scores were determined by taking the top four male lifters and one female lifter from each team.
| Name | age | age group | weight | weight class | neck lift | hip lift | Deadlift, Civiattone grip, 1 hand | Swing, dumbbell | vertical bar, 2 bars, 1 inch1-inch | total | adj. points | |
| John Carter | Male | 63 | 60 | 98.4 | 100 | 245 | 1905* | 205L* | 70R | 365* | 2790 | 2856.23 |
| Travis Luther | Male | 29 | Open | 76.5 | 80 | 245 | 1815* | 185R | 85L | 445* | 2775 | 2741.12 |
| #Dave Hahn | Male | 85 | 85 | 64 | 65 | 270 | 820 | 140R | 25L | 200 | 1455 | 2640.65 |
| Abe Smith | Male | 40 | 40 | 83.7 | 85 | 375 | 1505 | 235R* | 130L* | 430* | 2580 | 2439.63 |
| Dave DeForest | Male | 62 | 60 | 85 | 85 | 300 | 1300 | 170R | 65L* | 285* | 2115 | 2412.59 |
| #Randy Smith | Male | 67 | 65 | 98.5 | 100 | 311 | 1281 | 150R | 89L | 278 | 2109 | 2397.43 |
| Tony Lupo | Male | 56 | 55 | 107.5 | 110 | 245 | 1000 | 170R | 75L* | 255* | 1735 | 1655.04 |
| Bill Clark | Male | 89 | 85 | 88.9 | 90 | 0 | 495* | 125R* | 5L* | 165* | 790 | 1242.36 |
| Janet Thompson | Female | 64 | 60 | 73 | 75 | 120* | 445* | 105R* | 30L* | 184* | 884 | 1125.01 |
| Team total . | 11,892.64 | |||||||||||
| Frank’s Gym team | ||||||||||||
| Mike Marchand | Male | 16 | 16 | 79.5 | 80 | 252 | 1003* | 132L* | 80R* | 240* | 1677 | 1777.65 |
| Frank Ciavattone | Male | 67 | 65 | 125 | 125 | 350* | 1250* | 230L* | 45R* | 320* | 2185 | 1767.68 |
| Mark Raymond | Male | 59 | 55 | 103.5 | 105 | 160 | 1003 | 200L* | 65R* | 240* | 1608 | 1613.98 |
| Wade Marchand | Male | 53 | 50 | 73 | 75 | 252 | 500 | 145L | 50R | 240* | 1188 | 1377.61 |
| Jessica Hopps (F) | Female | 38 | Open | 94.5 | 95 | 252* | 901* | 116L | 45R* | 240* | 1553 | 1356.55 |
| Team total | 7893.57 |
Record lifts outside the competition:
| Bill Clark , age 89, bwt 88.9 |
| vertical bar – 1 bar- 1 inch -Left 82.5 |
| vertical bar – 1 bar – 1 inch – Right 82.5 |
| Vertical bars – 2 bars- 2 inch – 115 |
| Vertical bar – 1 bar – 2 inch – right – 71.0 |
| Vertical bar – 1 bar- 2 inch – left – 71.0 |
| TONY LUPO – 56. bwt 107.5 |
| Vertcak bar – 2 bars- 2 inch – 241. |
| Thor’s hammer – 30.0 lbs. |
| ABE SMITH – age 40. Bwt – 83.7- |
| Bent press – dumbbell -left – 115. |
| Bent press – dumbbell -right – 115. |
| Squat, front – 340. |
| clean and jerk – one arm – 145 Left |
| Clean and seated press – 215. |
| DAVE DeFOREST Age 62. Bwt 85. kg. |
| Curl, cheat – 2 dumbbells – 2×55. |
| Vertical Bar -1 Bar- 1 inch- Left 182 |
| Dumbbell to shoulder – 132 |
| Press – From Rack-behind neck – 105. |
| Seated Press behind neck – 95. |
| JANET THOMPSON Age 64, bwt 73 kg |
| Harness lift – 525. |
| Deadlift – 3 inch bar – 100. |
| Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch – Left – 82. |
| Veretical bar – 1 bar-1 inch – right – 82. |
| Vertical bar -1 bar 2-inch – left – 78. |
| JESSICA HOPPS. Age 38. Bwt 94.5 kg |
| Rim lift – 155 |
| Clean – continental – 96. |
| Dead lift -no thumbs- 185 |
| Vertical bar – 1 bar- 1 inch – left -125 |
| Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch – right – 125 |
| MICHAEL MARCHAND. Age – 16. Bwt – 79.5 |
| Rim lift – 215 |
| Deadlift – no thumb-right – 116 |
| Deadift – no thumb- left – 116. |
| Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch- left – 155. |
| Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch – right – 155. |
| WADE MARCHAND. Age 53. Bwt – 73.0 kg. |
| Rim lift – 215 |
| Dealift – no thumb – left – 116. |
| Deadlift – no thumb – right – 116. |
| Vertical bar-1 bar- 1 inch – left – 145. |
| Vertcal bar -1 bar- 1 inch – right – 145. |
| MARK RAYMOND. Age 59. Bwt – 103.5. |
| Rim lift – 215. |
| Deadlift – no thumb – 235 |
| Vertcal bar – 1 bar- 1 inch – left – 172. |
| Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch – right – 172 |
| Clean and Press-Heels together – 88 |
| FRANK CIAVATTONE. Age 67. Bwt – 125 kg. |
| Rectangular fix – 95. |
| Weaver strick – left – 6.5 lbs. |
| Weaver stick – right – 6.5 lbs. |
| Deadlift – no thumb- left – 185. |
| Deadift – no thumb-right – 185. |