USAWA

By Eric Todd

This article goes out as a HUGE congrats to one of the USAWA’s most decorated members.  Frank Ciavattone has been nominated for induction in the National wrestling Hall of Fame for the Humanitarian Award! Frank is already a member of the USAWA Hall of fame, as well as a 2015 inductee in the Massachusetts Wrestling Hall of Fame.  He is very deserving of this induction, and I am honored to be writing a letter of recommendation to the committee.

Frank took 3rd in the state championship in 1973.  His list of accomplishments in lifting is almost overwhelming.  He was the first American to lift the storied Dinnie Stones, having accomplished this feat, unassisted, in 1996.  He holds many records in the IAWA, and over 300 in the USAWA.  He was chosen as lifter of the month twice, once in September of 2014 and again in June of 2019.  He has been lifting in the USAWA almost since its inception, and has won many national titles in that time.  In 1998 he won the overall award for best master lifter at nationals.  In 2012, Frank was awarded with the Grand Best Lifter of the USAWA over its 25 year existence.  In 2019, he was awarded with the IAWA Presidential Award of Merit. He has been featured in both the Guinness Book of World Records and Ripley’s Believe it or Not for his exceptional neck lifting abilities.

Frank has not only stood out as a lifter, but has contributed as a leader as well.  He is the leader of Frank’s Barbell Club, which has won Best Club three times and has been runner-up once as well.  He has served as Vice President and as an at large Executive Board member.  He has been awarded the Courage Award three times.  Frank was awarded the Sportsmanship award in 2015, and the Leadership award in 2016.  He has hosted many National and World meets.

Frank’s nomination no doubt was submitted in part because of his success on the wrestling mat and in the weightlifting arena; however, it goes much further than that.  Frank has successfully battled cancer five times since 1979.  While battling, he was able to send six kids who were battling cancer themselves to the Make a wish Foundation.  Kids and family have always been at the center of Frank’s heart, and I believe a driving force in all of the tremendous amount of success he has had over the years.  If you get the chance, give big Frank a shout out for this amazing accolade.

By Dan Wagman

 

(This is a continuation of the series of suggestions by Dan Wagman that may be discussed at the national meeting after passing the Executive Board)

Send queries to Wagman2022Agenda@icloud.com (e-mail address active until Juli 1, 2022)

5. INCLUSION OF SENIOR DIVISION IN THE RECORDS LIST

The Rulebook recognizes the following age groups for males and females (§II.3): Junior (and their subgroups), Senior, Open, and Master (plus their subgroups). Records are kept, however, only in the following age groups (§V.9): Junior and Master and their respective subgroups and also “overall records…in all weight classes, which includes the best weight class lift of all age groups.”

This places Senior competitors at a severe disadvantage over all other age groups because they can only receive credit for an overall record—the greatest weight ever lifted in a particular lift—and no record for their age category whatsoever, i.e., 20-39 years old. All other age group lifters, however, can not only set a record within their age group, but also a second one for an overall record if their strength is sufficient. This has been termed by some “double-dipping” the records.

It seems inherently unfair, illogical, arbitrary, and capricious that all lifters in all age groups can set records in their respective age category (and double-dip) except a lifter aged 20-39. (The person who elects to compete in the Open Division is exempt from this argument because he/she freely elects to do so over selecting any other age category which they would naturally automatically belong to based on their current age.)

The life-blood of any organization is the next generation. The next generation does not only include Juniors but also people aged 20-39 years. In not recognizing their feats of strength via age-group records they are not only unfairly discriminated against, but it also begs the question as to why a person in the Senior age group would even compete if all he/she can accomplish is placing in a competition—unless he/she is so strong as to establish a “greatest weight ever lifted” record. This does not serve the organization well as Senior lifters have less incentive to compete in this sport as compared to other strength sports.

 

It is therefore proposed to include the Senior age group in the records list. No grandfathering in to this category is permitted.

 

Argument Against

This topic was discussed on the Forum. While all participants agreed that the omission of Senior age group records was unfair, a major concern was the additional work the Records Director might incur. While it is difficult to predict how much more work adding the Senior age group would actually entail, this would be easily addressed by placing another individual in charge of the Senior age group records (see 6.C.i.-ii. below).

By Dan Wagman

(this is one in a series of proposals submitted by Dan Wagman for discussion at our national meeting)

Send queries to Wagman2022Agenda@icloud.com

4. INCREASE EASE OF NATIONAL MEETING PARTICIPATION

Discussions on USAWA’s Forum have revealed that the participation rate in our National Meeting is “dismal.” Some Forum participants admitted to skipping the meeting after a meet. Increasing the ease by which members can participate in the National Meeting is a huge benefit to the organization and can itself be achieved with great ease. The following steps are recommended and put to the Membership for a vote:

1. Establish a deadline by which the National Meeting Agenda Items must be submitted to the Secretary or other responsible individual(s)—perhaps 30 days prior to the meeting;
2. Publish the Agenda Items on USAWA’s website and/or Facebook page by a second deadline—perhaps 15 days prior to the meeting;
3. Use Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, etc., and even smartphones multi-conferencing service that would allow a member to call in to the meeting and participate, even if he/she is on the way back home after competing.
4. Eliminate the following sentences from the Bylaws:

7.H. Membership votes at the Annual National Meeting are done by the membership present. No absentee or proxy votes are allowed.

The purpose of this is to allow those who cannot attend the National Meeting, for any number of reasons, to nevertheless cast a vote by being present electronically. Moreover, providing for proxy votes also increases representation of the membership.

By Eric Todd

 

Entry deadline is in 6 days.  Get those entries in soon.  I have lifted at a Habecker championship, and they are top notch.  I hope to get a decent turnout for this fine event.  At any rate, for those of you waiting to the last minute, that is where we are!  Get those entries in the mail today!  Hope to see you in PA soon.