By Al Myers

MEET RESULTS –

2019 USAWA CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

USAWA Club Champions – Ledaig Heavy Athletics

The battle of the USAWA Club Championships was heated at the Ledaig Club on this past Sunday.  As been the case these past few years, the Club Champs have been a “2 horse race” between the hosting Ledaig HA Club and the Dino Gym.  The victory has been an even split over the past 6 years – with each club standing at 3 wins while the other club was the runner up.   So this year was GAME SEVEN to see who would would reign supreme of the best of 7.  HATS OFF to Dave and the Ledaig HA Club as they put the smack down on my Dino Gym Club.

I always really enjoy going to Dave’s.  He has built the ultimate home gym.  He has a power rack that would make any HS strength coach drool over, plus loads of steel plates and seasoned bars.  As you look around his gym everything sweats strength.  As been the tradition of the Club Championships each club brings club members with the top three performers in each event being the “scorers”.  This gives an advantage if you bring several lifters as if someone has an off event it doesn’t hurt the team score.  But this year Dave and I could only manage to barely fill our roster of 3 lifters so every lift  of every lifter was important.

Runnerup Club – the Dino Gym

I once seen a T-shirt that had the printing of “Youth and Skill are no match for Old Age and Treachery”.   Well – this pretty much sums up Dave. He definitely schemed up some  “fast ones” on me for this club championships.  All above board of course so I’m not saying he cheated or anything like that. First of all I noticed he picked up a RINGER for his club that caught me by surprise.  He didn’t even pre-register him before the meet thus keeping his secret intact until it was time to show his cards on meet day.  For those of you who don’t know Eddie “THE DYNAMO KID” Johnson you will after this meet.  Eddie is a gifted Highland Game athlete who made his first venture into the All Rounds at this meet. His explosive strength is off the charts and he lifted fantastically.  He’s so athletic he just takes to the All Round Lifts with ease.

But then the treachery continues.  I have worked hard to get John “THE HOSS” Douglas to join the Dino Gym Club this past year, and he was been a solid addition to my club.  I’ve even made big promises to him like I’d give him a gym tshirt and give him a sandwich when he comes to the Dino Gym.  So I was feeling good.  But “lo and behold” Dave steals him back from me and he’s there representing the Ledaig Club!!! How did Dave do that???  I still pondering how that happened.

I actually felt like it was close after the first couple of events.  Ole Dean and Dad were pushing hard on their lifts.  But then Dave puts in this special rule about using your non-dominate hand in the Clean and Jerk with the Dumbbell for the 3rd event and it starts to get “in our heads” a little, and after a big discussion of what really constitutes your non-dominate hand Dave just says “use the hand you conscious tells you too”.  I pretty much knew it was over for us then as Dad and Dean were scratching their heads in confusion as to which arm to use.

But his treachery is not over yet!!!!  His next trick had to be one for the ages. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve never seen this type of sabotaging your opponents before.  At this point Dave declares it’s time for lunch before the last event the Dumbbell to Shoulder. He had his good buddy Gomez come in with his food truck and he freshly baked the best pizza you’ve ever had and brings it into the gym for us to eat. It’s piping hot and  the tasty aroma just fills the gym. He followed that up with homemade bread pudding with his special whisky sauce. Plus Dave brings in a sampler pack of Sam Adams to just add to the temptation.  The Dino Gym Club was doomed at that point.  Dean ate so much pizza he couldn’t tie his shoes, ole Pops was just sitting on the bench in a food coma, and I was polishing off my second beer.  The whole time Dave just sat in his big chair with a smile on his face not eating a thing!!!!

Great meet and great times!  But now I’m calling for the best of nine.

Meet Results:

2019 USAWA Club Championships
Ledaig Heavy Athletics Club
Rainbow Bend, Kansas
Sunday, December 8th, 2019

Meet Director: Dave Glasgow

Official (1-official System used): Dave Glasgow & Al Myers

Meet Scorekeeper: Al Myers

Meet Caterer: Gomez with his amazing pizza

Lifts: Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip, Deadlift – 2 Bars, Clean and Jerk – DB, Dumbbell to Shoulder

1. Ledaig Heavy Athletics – 2197.6 Adjusted Points

2. Dino Gym – 1834.5 Adjusted Points

Notes: BWT is bodyweight in pounds.  All lifts recorded in pounds. R and L designate right and left arms. Adjusted Points were calculated using age and bodyweight corrections.