Tag Archives: Dave Glasgow

My Visit to Ledaig Heavy Athletics

by Thom Van Vleck

Banner that hangs in the Ledaig gym

Recently I got to make my first trip to Ledaig since Dave built his new facility.  This is Dave Glasgow’s family gym.  I say family gym because it belongs to his whole family.  You drive down that road and it’s hard to figure out which “Glasgow” to stop at as each mailbox has that name on it. But if you know Dave and he counts you as a  friend, then you are family, too!  This sits on some family property about 30 miles from Wichita, Kansas but really miles away from anyone!  It is near Rainbow Bend, Kansas and if you can find that then you are right up there with Columbus and Magellan as an explorer.  Dave used to train in a round metal tank that would literally roast you on a hot day.  The frame for the gym was put up years ago, I believe Dave’s Dad had built a metal frame and never finished it.  Dave got it done and there is a gym, shop and garage housed in the large building.  You could park a dozen cars in there if it were cleared out, but Dave has a quarter sectioned off for the gym that is walled in and the rest is full of tools, cars, and projects!

Dave Glasgow cutting some steel rod in his gym to make stakes for Highland Games trigs.

I have been to many gyms overthe years and to me my favorites also include other “manly” pursuits.  My Uncle Phil has a reloading room attached to his gym.  Al Myers has a full scale metal shop in his gym.  Randy Richey (https://www.usawa.com/omega-force-christian-strongman-team/) has one of the coolest gyms I’ve ever seen with the a massive metal shop.   Hard to believe anyone could top Al’s gym, but Randy just might! I can’t top those guys but my gym has a workshop as well. Dave has entered the fray with a huge workshop area with the ability to cut, weld, and shape metal along with working on the two antique corvettes parked in his gym.

Some old school Eleiko bumpers at Ledaig

Another hallmark of a cool gym in my book is to have historical and cool things to lift.  Ledaig has many things, old and new to lift.  I was especially salivating over his Eleiko plates.  They are old and well used, but still cool nonetheless.  Dave has some equipment that he has used for many, many years in his gym and you can just feel the positive “mojo” in there!

If you get a chance to make it to a USAWA meet at Ledaig, it’s worth the journey.  You can fly into Wichita and that gets you close.  But if you drive there just know this:  The cell phone reception is not very good and on more than one occasion I have fielded a call from a lost lifter driving the countryside looking for “Rainbow Bend”.  Be sure you know how to get there!   Because it truly can be one of those places that “you can’t get there from here”!

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNERS

by Al Myers

Dave Glasgow (left) receiving the USAWA Sportsmanship Award from USAWA Secretary Al Myers (right).

While at the Club Championships at the Ledaig HA Club in Rainbow Bend, Kansas, I was able to personally present a USAWA annual Award Winner.  Every year the USAWA gives a SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD.  This award goes to an individual who “possesses and shows great sportsmanship within the USAWA.  The act of sportsmanship may be conduct at all events, or by an specific example of exceptional sportsmanship.”

This year award winners are:

WINNER – DAVE GLASGOW

RUNNER UP – LANCE FOSTER

Both Dave and Lance are very worthy recipients of this award.  They both are very tough competitors, and always exhibit great effort on the platform, but at the same time are tremendously supportive of the other lifters.  Congratulations to Dave and Lance!

Club Championships

by Al Myers

MEET RESULTS
2013 USAWA CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

Group picture from the 2013 USAWA Club Championships.

Thanks to Dave Glasgow of the Ledaig Heavy Athletics Club  the club championships was able to be contested again this year.  Dave agreed to host this Championships since it was cancelled last March due to bad weather. Last weekend was a very big weekend for the Ledaig Club of Rainbow Bend, Kansas.  The club hosted its annual Highland Games on Saturday, threw a big party on Saturday night, and then had this USAWA Championship competition on Saturday.  Dave has hosted his annual event for a few years now, and to make it even more of a special occasion, plans it each year around his birthday.  This year was a memorable year for Dave – and on Sunday at the Club Champs Dave turned 60!  I came bearing a gift – a new 175# Atlas Stone.  I thought this present might be in the running for Dave’s favorite BDAY present, but then when I got there I saw that Dave’s wife Gunner had given him a new 4-wheeler!  I should have taken that as “a sign” for how the day’s competition was going to turn out for the Dino Gym.

Only two USAWA Clubs made an appearance at this year’s Club Championships – the host club Ledaig and the Dino Gym.  As per the standing rules of the Club Championships, each registered club of the USAWA is allowed an entry into this Championship event to recognize the top Clubs in the USAWA.  This is NOT an individual competition, and no individual scores are revealed.  Rather, a total point score of the top 3 club members are added together to form the team club score.  A club may enter more than 3 individuals in the competition if wanted, with the advantage being if someone has an “off day” or gets hurt, another club member can “pick up the slack” and become a scoring member.  I want each club to feel unity in their participation as a club, and either win or lose as a club.  To be eligible to participate with a registered club,  a lifter must be affiliated with the club as outlined on the membership application and the membership roster.

Birthday Boy Dave Glasgow performing a 315 pound Zercher Lift.

Well, Club Ledaig came into this with 7 participating club members to the Dino Gym’s 3.   I felt outnumbered and over-gunned  from the start.  I felt my Dino team was solid (Chad Ullom, Dean Ross, and LaVerne Myers), but so was the Ledaig club.  The heavy hitter Larry Traub made the trip from Louisville (2011 OVERALL Best Lifter from the National Championships), so I knew they were going to have a good addition to their clubs points with Larry lifting. This past year Dave built a big new shed and relocated his gym.  This was the inaugural USAWA event in the new facility.  His gym is a perfect setup for all round lifting, and for hosting a meet of this size.  There was plenty of space to move around and warmup for the days lifting.   Club Ledaig has as many (or more!) USAWA members than any other club, and it seemed like most were in attendance (Dave, Larry Traub, Amber Glasgow, Mike Murdock, Kenny Glasgow, Jera Kressly, Doug Kressly, and Logan Kressly). 

By the time the last Peoples Deadlift was completed  (Larry’s 640), I pretty much knew that the Dino Gym was going to be in second place.  We have won the overall best club at the past three Club Championships, but all things come to an end.  The final score was: 

1.  Ledaig Heavy Athletics – 3308.2 pts

Competing members:  Mike Murdock, Larry Traub, Dave Glasgow, Kenny Glasgow, Jera Kressly, Logan Kressly, Amber Glasgow

2.  Dino Gym – 2569.1 pts

Competing members:  Chad Ullom,  Dean Ross, LaVerne Myers

My hat is off to Dave Glasgow and the Ledaig HAC.  Congrats to them on their BIG WIN at the Club Championships, and for all the hard work they did to put on the competition. I would have to say that has to be the best birthday present any club leader could receive from his club members!

MEET RESULTS:

USAWA Club Championships
July 14th, 2013
Ledaig Athletic Club
Rainbow Bend, Kansas

Meet Director:  Dave Glasgow

Announcer & Scorekeeper:  Al Myers

Official (1 official system used):  Al Myers

Loaders:  Everyone present!

Lifts: Zercher Lift, Bench Press – Fulton Bar, Peoples Deadlift

1.  Ledaig Heavy Athletic Club – 3308.2 points

LIFTER AGE BWT Zercher BP-FB Peoples
Mike Murdock  73  199    135  
Larry Traub  59  201  375  275  640
Dave Glasgow  60  250  315  265  475
Kenny Glasgow  76  218  225  130  345
Jera Kressly  28  230  250  150  385
Logan Kressly  15  167  245  175  385
Amber Glasgow  34  149  190  105  300

 2.  Dino Gym – 2569.1 points

LIFTER AGE BWT Zercher BP-FB Peoples
Dean Ross  70  266  250  185  405
Chad Ullom  41  252  415  310  605
LaVerne Myers  69  249  175  140  315

EXTRA ATTEMPTS FOR RECORD

Jera Kressly: Peoples Deadlift 405
Logan Kressly:  Peoples Deadlift 395

NOTES:  AGE is age in years.  BWT is bodyweight in pounds.

Club of the Year: LEDAIG HA

by Al Myers

Ledaig HA won the team title for the Overall best team at the 2012 IAWA World Championships. Pictured (left to right): Jera Kressly, Dave Glasgow, Doug Kressly

Congratulations to LEDAIG HEAVY ATHLETICS for being the named the USAWA Club of the Year for 2012!!!!

Ledaig has been very active in the USAWA these past few years.  Their “rise to prominence” in the USAWA started in 2010.  The club’s founder and leader, Dave Glasgow, has been a solid force in the organization. Ledaig HA is located in Rainbow Bend, Kansas – outside of Winfield, or if you are less knowledgeable about Kansas, south of Wichita a ways.  Dave refers to Rainbow Bend as “a community ” instead of a town.  I’ve been there and you better not blink when you drive thru it or you will miss it!  It’s even smaller than the town of Holland where the Dino Gym resides!

Unlike the other USAWA awards where the winners are selected by nomination and vote of the membership, the Club of the Year is earned.  It is based on a point system where each club earns points for various involvements in the USAWA throughout the year.  I think this system is very fair – and it makes it easy for me to calculate all clubs point totals. This is the guidelines for which a club earns points:

Club Awards are determined by adding up club points using this 4-Step System:

1. One point awarded to the club for EACH USAWA registered member that lists the club as their affiliated club on their membership application. This designation is also listed beside the members name on the membership roster.
2. Two points awarded to the club for EACH club member that participates in the National Championships, World Championships, and Gold Cup. Points are awarded for each competition, so if one club athlete competes in all three of these big meets it would generate 6 points for the club.
3. Three points awarded to the club for EACH USAWA sanctioned event or competition the club promotes.
4. Four bonus points awarded to the club for promotion of the National Championships, World Championships, and Gold Cup.

As you can see – having lots of club members who are heavily involved in our “big meets” really help with the yearly score.  Ledaig had 9 club members for the year 2012: Dave Glasgow, Kenny Glasgow, Amber Glasgow, Tim Harbison, Doug Kressly, Jera Kressly, Mike Murdock, Kristen Traub, and Larry Traub. The Ledaig HA won the team title at the 2012 IAWA World Championships, and was runner up at the 2012 USAWA National Championships. At both of these big meets, the Ledaig Club had members place very high overall in addition to winning Age/BWT championships.  At Nationals, Larry was 2nd overall and Dave 4th, and at Worlds Dave was 3rd overall, Doug 9th overall, and Jera was third overall in the women’s division.  That’s quite a list of accomplishments!!!

The year 2012 had a record number of 16 registered member clubs in the USAWA!  I’m only going to give the TOP FIVE placings, and just making this top 5  listing is a great accomplishment for any club!

TOP SCORING USAWA CLUBS FOR 2012

1st.  Ledaig Heavy Athletics – 25 points
2nd.  Salvation Army Gym – 20 points
3rd.  Ambridge Barbell Club – 19 points
4th  (tie).   Clarks Gym – 13 points
4th  (tie).  Jobes Steel Jungle – 13 points
5th .  Habeckers Gym – 12 points

The Salvation Army Gym had an outstanding year in the USAWA. The clubs leader Tim Piper was very involved in the USAWA throughout the year. Tim competed in the Nationals in Vegas (6th Overall) and at the Worlds in Salina (7th Overall).  I was very impressed with them earning the RUNNER UP Club of the Year in the USAWA. These two club awards (to the Ledaig Heavy Athletics and the Salvation Army Gym) will be presented at the Awards Ceremony in conjunction with the National Championships next month. Last year’s winner of the Club of the Year, the Dino Gym, will have the HONOR of presenting these two clubs their Club Awards.

Club Championships

by Al Myers

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT
2013 USAWA CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

Dave and Gunner Glasgow

The Club Championships has been rescheduled!   After the cancellation last March in Ambridge due to bad weather,  the Club Championships was looking “not to happen” this year.  However, I consider this meet as one of our “signature events” in the USAWA since it is a Championship Event, and these are the meets that really need to be contested every year.  The Club Championships began in 2010 with the Ambridge Barbell Club hosting it since then.  Dave Glasgow, the leader of the Ledaig Heavy Athletics, has agreed to promote it this summer so that this important competition will continue on an annual basis.

The Club Championships is much different than other competitions.  It is NOT an individual competition, but rather, a club competition.  The scores of three members of a club are “added together” to form a club score.  This way clubs are pitted against each other, with each member making their own contribution to their club.  Awards will be given out on a “club basis” – there will be no individual recognition at this event.

The rules for the Club Championships  are pretty straightforward:

1.  Each Club brings up to three lifters to compete. Clubs may enter with less than three members, but will be at a disadvantage when scores are added together.

2.  Club members MUST be registered with their club of participation (as documented on the membership roster).

3.  Adjusted Point scores are added together to form a club score.

4.  Club with the highest Club Score is awarded the Club Champion.

The Ledaig HA’s has been a big club player in the USAWA over the past few years.  Now since Dave has his new training facility built I expect even more involvement with promotions.  I consider Ledaig as one of the TOP CLUBS in the USAWA.  At the 2012 IAWA World Championships last fall in Salina, their club won the team title at the Championships (combined pt scores of all members participating).  That’s a big club win – winning Worlds!!!!  In 2011 Ledaig won the team title at the USAWA Nationals in Kirksville.   Also, last year at Nationals in Las Vegas they were awarded the Runner Up Club of the Year in the USAWA!  

I’m really excited about this year’s Club Championships.   I truly believe the success of the USAWA lies with club involvement.  Meets like this one foster that involvement.   Year’s ago it was important to lifters to be “part of a club” when going to competitions.  Club spirit was high – and lifters often competed in their club shirts showing their support to their club.  I want to bring that feeling back, and this meet is a great way to do that.  It should be an honor for a club member to get selected to represent their club at the Club Championships.  Let’s make this a great meet!

MEET DETAILS:

2013 USAWA Club Championships
Sunday, July 14th, 2013
Ledaig Heavy Athletics Training Facility
Rainbow Bend, KS

Sanction – USAWA

Entry Fee – None

Weighins:  9:00 AM

Start time:  10:00 AM

LIFTS: 

Bench Press – Fulton Bar

Zercher Lift

Peoples Deadlift

There will be a record breaker session after the competition if anyone is interested.  Award certificates will be awarded to the winning clubs. There is no entry form, but please contact Dave prior to the event if you are entering a team at dglasgow@cox.net . The directions to the meet are:

GPS Coordinates are: Decimal coordinates (latitude, longitude):
37.16499343231285,-97.13128566741943

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