Summary of USAWA Team Records
by Al Myers
Two Man Deadlift of 661 pounds by Roy Mason (on left, 76 years old and 151 pounds) and Bill Decker (on right, 76 years old and 161 pounds). This Team Deadlift record was set on January 29th, 1994 at the Texas Deadlift Classic. (photo courtesy of the Meet Director Joe McCoy)
I knew alot of USAWA Team Records were set last weekend at Team Nationals, but I didn’t realize it was the MOST EVER team records set in one day in the history of the USAWA! A total of 16 USAWA Team Records were set. The previous best was 12 Team Records set at the 2005 Deadliest Duo Competition, which was slightly ahead of the the 2009 Team Nationals which had 10 records set. The Team Record List is not near the length of the Individual Record list – only 98 records are recorded for Team Lifts versus over 9000 records for Individual Lifts. That’s a tad over 1% represented by Team Records in the Total Record List!
This review of Team Records lead to many questions I had – of which I’m going to share the answers with you.
1. Who has the oldest record in the Team Record List?
Joe McCoy and Bill Drybread teamed up to set several Team Records at the 1989 Nationals Record Day, on June 26th, 1989. They currently hold together 9 Team Records in these lifts: Team Deadlift, Team Snatch & Clean, Team Snatch and Clean, 1 hand, Team Snatch – One Arm, and Team Clean and Press.
2. How many 2-Person (man and woman) records are there in the Team Record List?
Only three 2-Person Teams have any records. In 1996, John McKean teamed with Diane Burger to set a record in the Team Clean and Press at Art’s Birthday Bash. In 1995, Kerry Clark teamed with Dale Spry to set a 2-Person Team Record in the Deadlift, with a pull of 500 pounds, set at the ’95 Nationals in Columbia, Missouri. In 2001 at Art’s Birthday Bash, John McKean teamed with Lynne Burnell to lift 405 pounds in the 2-Person Team Jefferson Lift.
3. Has there ever been any 2-Women Teams set records?
At the 2000 Buckeye Record Breaker, Noi Phumchaona and Anna Holter set the first 2-Women Team Record with 309 pound Team Deadlift. At the 2003 Buckeye Record Breaker, Carolyn Anderson and Montia Wade teamed up to pull a Team Deadlift of 220 pounds.
4. Which Team is the Oldest in the Record List?
That honor goes to Roy Mason and Bill Decker, who teamed up for a Team Deadlift in the 75 year old age division at the 1994 Texas Deadlift Classic.
5. Which Team is the Youngest in Record List?
In 1991, the brothers Robbie and Sean McKean teamed up in the 10 year old age division and performed a 265 pound Team Deadlift.
6. Which Team has the MOST records?
Chad and I have the most at 13 records. Second place goes to the team of Joe McCoy and Bill Drybread with 9 records. Third place is a tie with 8 records, with the team of Thom Van Vleck and John O’Brien and the team of Mike Murdock and Rudy Bletscher.
7. How many different lifts have been contested as Team Lifts?
There has been 21 different lifts contested as Team Lifts.
8. Which lift has been contested the MOST as a Team Lift?
The Team Deadlift is the most contested Team Lift.
9. Which Team has lifted the MOST weight in any Team Lift?
That was set this year at the 2010 Team Nationals when Chad and I lifted 1100 pounds in the 2-Man Trap Bar Deadlift, but that might not last long as I have heard the rumor that the Team Hip Lift may be contested at next year’s Team Nationals.