Tag Archives: Sportsmanship Award

Sportsmanship Runner Up

by Al Myers

Dave Glasgow (right) is presented the USAWA Runner Up Sportsmanship Award by Al Myers.

At the USAWA Club Championships last weekend I was able to formally present Dave Glasgow the Runner Up Sportsmanship Award.  I was hoping to keep it a secret till this past weekend in order to surprise him!

Dave’s a humble guy, which makes it even more enjoyable to present him an award such as this. He never thinks he’s deserving of it (and usually has a few choice words for me when he’s accepting his award!)

But he’s more than deserving of it!  After taking part in the Club Champs which he and the Ledaig HA crew promoted, and being treated with such hospitality while there, I thought on the way home how this is how meets should be ran.  Dave is always “for the athletes” first and foremost in any event he promotes.

That’s just part of the reason the USAWA membership awarded Dave with this yearly award.  Congrats Dave!

Sportsmanship Award Winner

by Al Myers

Tim Piper (left) awarding Dennis Mitchell (right) the winner of the Sportsmanship Award in the USAWA.

The Sportsmanship Award went to a lifter who I felt really deserved it – Dennis Mitchell.  The definition of the Sportsmanship Award is, “This goes to an individual who possesses and shows great sportsmanship within the USAWA.  The act of sportsmanship may be by conduct at all events, or by an specific example of exceptional Sportsmanship.”

This sums up Dennis Mitchell.  Dennis is one of the most supportive lifters I know.  He always is encouraging others – and well as supporting the USAWA in any way he can.  This  includes always giving encouraging words to other lifters, sitting in the officials chair when he’s competing, writing for the USAWA website,  or helping the USAWA by being a valuable member of the USAWA Executive Board.  Dennis is a VERY IMPORTANT PERSON in the USAWA, and it’s nice to see the membership rewarding him in this way by voting  him the Sportsmanship Award of the Year.

Congrats Dennis!!!!!

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!

Sportsmanship Award

by Al Myers

Art Montini receiving the Runner Up Sportsmanship Award (center). The award was presented by Al Myers (left) and Denny Habecker (right). The Sportsmanship Award Winner Mike Murdock was not in attendance.

The Sportsmanship Award goes to individuals who have showed exceptional sportsmanship throughout the year.  It may be for overall conduct at all events, or by a specific example of exceptional sportsmanship.  This years winners are definitely worthy of this title!  Both of these lifters exhibit great sportsmanship at every competition, and are fine examples of the way lifters should conduct themselves at competitions. The winners are:

WINNER – MIKE MURDOCK

RUNNER UP – ART MONTINI

Mike was unable to make it to Nationals this year to accept his award, but Art was present to accept his.  I want to say a few words about both of these guys because these two lifters I have the greatest respect for.  I can’t count the number of meets that Mike has sacrificed his own days lifting to “help out” to insure the meet is ran well.  At my Dino Record Days this past spring Mike spent the day officiating the new lifters instead of doing the record lifts that he wanted to do.  I couldn’t have done it without him there!  Mike is one of those lifters that gives to the organization more than he takes.  That’s true sportsmanship.  Art, at age 84, has given as much to the USAWA as anyone.  How many lifters his age would have made the trip to the IAWA World Championships in Australia by themselves??  I’ll answer it – NONE besides him.  Art is always part of any “big event” in the USAWA or the IAWA, and this has been going on for many, many years now.  Both of these guys are very worthy winners of this award.  CONGRATS!!!

Rudy Bletscher & Mike Murdock: Sportsmanship Award

by Al Myers

Rudy Bletscher receiving the Co-Award for sportsmanship. (left to right): Rudy Bletscher, Al Myers, and Thom Van Vleck. Missing from this picture is the other Sportsmanship Award Winner Mike Murdock.

For this first time ever we had a tie in a vote for an USAWA Special Award, so this year a Co-Award was given on behalf of the USAWA in regards to the Sportsmanship Award.  The two award winners were a great selection, because both of these guys have “gone at it”  in competition with each other this past  year and have done so in a most fitting style, showing utmost sportsmanship towards each other.  The Sportsmanship Award goes to Rudy Bletscher and Mike Murdock.  Mike had to leave early following the banquet before the Awards Ceremony, so I wasn’t able to get his picture taken receiving his Award as I had hoped, but I did get one of Rudy and the surprise look on his face when he received it.  

I have enjoyed watching Mike and Rudy compete against each other throughout this past year.  They are both pretty close in age, bodyweight, and strength so it always makes an interesting competition.  They seem to go “back and forth” in beating each other from one competition to the next, but the both of them always enjoy each others “competitive company” as they do so and don’t seem to mind when they come out on “the short end of the stick”.  These guys understand what its all about, and always seem to really enjoy themselves at meets.  Both of them are tremendously supportive of the other lifters, and it is a pleasure being around them at meets.  One of the things I remember about them from this past year was when they teamed up together to form a duo for Team Nationals.   They were a formidable team!  As they did the team lifts neither one of them wanted to let the other one down so they pushed themselves as hard as I have seen!  I’m hoping they will form a team again this year at Team Nationals.  In fact, I’m going to hold onto Mike’s award till then so maybe I can finally get my picture of them together as Co-Sportsmanship Award Winners of the year!