Tag Archives: USAWA Yearly Awards

2017 Yearly Awards

By Al Myers

One of the exciting functions that happens every year at the National Championships is the presentation of the USAWA Annual Awards.  I have been the USAWA Awards Director since the program began in 2009 and started the selection and presentation of the Annual Awards.  These awards are chosen by the membership – with the nomination and voting  for each award done by the USAWA members only.  So truly when you win one of these Yearly Awards it is because your fellow competitors deamed you worthy of it.   All I do is tally the votes.

This is one of my favorite “responsibilities” in the organization. It is gratifying to see my fellow lifters and friends recognized for their accomplishments in the USAWA.  The Yearly Awards presentation coincided with the meet awards following the banquet at the West Park Station, a great restaurant/bar selected by the meet promoters Bob and Scott.  It was a very festive enviroment, and we were allowed to use the microphone that broadcasted over the entire restaurant.  I noticed even others at the restaurant, not involved with the USAWA, clapping for the winners!  I was joined by meet promoter Scott Schmidt in giving out the Yearly Awards.  Now for this YEARS BIG WINNERS!!!!!

2017 USAWA Annual Awards

Newcomer Award– This award goes to an individual who in new to the USAWA or has become involved again. It doesn’t have to go to someone in their first year of being involved in the USAWA.

Runner Up – Mark Raymond

Winner – Kim Lydon

Courage Award – This goes to an individual who shows the courage to overcome an obstacle in order to return to competition. This may be a comeback from an injury, or just having to deal with difficult personal issues but still shows the courage to compete in the USAWA.

Runner Up – Art Montini

Winner – Rocky Morrison

Sportsmanship Award – 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 a specific example of exceptional sportsmanship.

Runner Up – LaVerne Myers

Winner – Dean Ross

Leadership Award – This is for an individual that has shown exceptional leadership qualities within the USAWA during the past year. Things that should be looked at are: going above the level expected of an Officer position, promoting sanctioned events with emphasis being on promoting National or World Competitions, promoting the USAWA by developing a strong club, writing articles for publications about the USAWA, or through other means.

Runner Up – Denny Habecker

Winner – Frank Ciavattone

Athlete of the Year – This award is for the individual who has accomplished the most athletically within the last year in the USAWA. Top placings at the Nationals and World Championships should figure in high. Also, participation in other Championship Competitions such as the Heavy Lift Championships, the Grip Championships, the Club Championships, the OTSM Championships, the Team Championships, or the National Postal Championships could factor in.  Participation in elite IAWA events such as the Gold Cup should make an influence on earning this award as well.

Runner Up – Eric Todd

Winner – Al Myers

The Club of the Year Award was presented by last year’s Club of the Year, The Dino Gym.

Club of the Year – This is the outstanding club in the USAWA based on meet participation, membership, and promotion of USAWA competitions and events. It is based on points earned throughout the year.

Runner Up – Habecker’s Gym

MEMBERS: Barry Bryan, Aidan Habecker, Denny Habecker, Judy Habecker, William Clark, and Steven Hunt.

Winner – Frank’s Barbell Club

MEMBERS: James Patterson, Tony Patterson, Mark Raymond, Lindsey Beavy, Frankie III Ciavattone, Frank Ciavattone, Jeff Ciavattone, Micheal Driscoll, James Fuller, Jessica Hopps,  Kim Lydon,  Cassie Morrison, James Morrison, and Rocky Morrison.

Time for Nominations!

by Al Myers

It’s that time of the year again to nominate deserving lifters for the yearly awards! The USAWA award program was started in 2009 to honor those individuals that displays outstanding achievements throughout the year in different categories. I have been the USAWA Award Director that entire time and was the one who started the USAWA Awards Program. Part of the USAWA budget goes to these awards, which means that part of your membership dues support this program. These awards are awarded at the Annual General Meeting of the USAWA, which occurs at the same time as the National Championships. It is important to remember when “casting your vote” that these awards are for the calendar year 2013 (which is the calendar the USAWA follows for memberships, etc.). Now for a little “overview” of the rules for nominations:

  • You must be a USAWA member to make a nomination or cast a vote
  • Nominated individuals must be a USAWA members to be eligible
  • Only one individual may be nominated per person per award
  • Two nominations for each award may be submitted, one for your choice of the Winner and one for your choice of the runner-up.
  • The awards are for the calendar year 2013
  • An individual may be nominated for more than one award

These are the different awards for which you should chose your nominations for:

Athlete of the Year – This award is for the individual who has accomplished the most athletically within the last year in the USAWA. Top placings at the Nationals and World Championships should figure in high. Also, participation in other Championship Competitions such as the Heavy Lift Championships, the Grip Championships, the Club Championships, the OTSM Championships, the Team Championships, or the National Postal Championships could factor in. Participation in elite IAWA events such as the Gold Cup should make an influence on earning this award as well.

Leadership Award – This is for an individual that has shown exceptional leadership qualities within the USAWA during the past year. Things that should be looked at are: going above the level expected of an Officer position, promoting sanctioned events with emphasis being on promoting National or World Competitions, promoting the USAWA by developing a strong club, writing articles for publications about the USAWA, or through other means.

Sportsmanship Award – 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.

Courage Award – This goes to an individual who shows the courage to overcome an obstacle in order to return to competition. This may be a comeback from an injury, or just having to deal with difficult personal issues but still shows the courage to compete in the USAWA.

Newcomer Award– This award goes to an individual who in new to the USAWA or has become involved again. It doesn’t have to go to someone in their first year of being involved in the USAWA.

As stated earlier in the rules, I would like you to submit your choice for the WINNER and your choice for the RUNNER UP for each award. I will score it this way: for each nomination per award I will give 2 points for the nominated winner and 1 point for the nominated runner up. I will then add up all the points from all nominations with the person receiving the most points declared the winner and the one with the second most points the runner up. So you can see that the Award Winners are chosen by YOU THE MEMBERSHIP! That’s the way it should be done.

Please email me at amyers@usawa.com with your nominations. The deadline for this is this Friday. I’m only giving a week because it has been my experience with this is that if a person does not make their nominations shortly after reading this announcement, it never gets done. So make it easy on yourself (and me!) and turn your nominations in today!!!!

Award Nominations

by Al Myers

Chad Ullom, the 2010 USAWA Athlete of the Year, in action with the Fulton Bar Continental to Chest at the 2011 USAWA National Championships.

It’s that time of the year again – to make your nominations for the USAWA Yearly Awards.  These awards have been presented the last couple of years at the National Championships to recognize lifters who have demonstrated outstanding achievement throughout the prior year.  These awards are decided on by the membership, so that makes it mean more when an award is given to you based on the feelings of your peers. This year I am doing this process a little different.  Instead of having a nomination process and then a voting process – I’m going to combine this process into one step to make things easier.  Please send me your NUMBER ONE and NUMBER TWO choice for each award.  The number one choice will get two points while the number two choice gets one points.  I will then add up the points from everyone to determine the winners.  Each award will have winner and a runner-up. This way you will need to send me only ONE EMAIL with you combined nominations and votes.

The rules are simple:

  • You must be a USAWA member to make a nomination
  • Nominated individuals must be a USAWA members to be eligible
  • One person is selected as your NUMBER ONE choice and another as your NUMBER TWO CHOICE 
  • The awards are for the calendar year 2011
  • An individual may be nominated for more than one award

These are the catagories to make your nominations from:

Athlete of the Year – This award is for the individual who has accomplished the most athletically within the last year in the USAWA. Top placings at the Nationals and World Championships should figure in high. Also, participation in other National Competitions such as the Heavy Event Nationals or Team Nationals could factor in, along with the Gold Cup.

Leadership Award – This is for an individual that has shown exceptional leadership qualities within the USAWA during the past year. Things that should be looked at are: going above the level expected of an Officer position, promoting sanctioned events with emphasis being on promoting National or World Competitions, promoting the USAWA by developing a strong club, writing articles for publications about the USAWA, or through other means.

Sportsmanship Award – 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.

Courage Award – This goes to an individual who shows the courage to overcome an obstacle in order to return to competition. This may be a comeback from an injury, or just having to deal with difficult personal issues but still shows the courage to compete in the USAWA.

Newcomer Award– This award goes to an individual who in new to the USAWA or has become involved again. It doesn’t have to go to someone in their first year of being involved in the USAWA.

Please send your nominations to me (at amyers@usawa.com) by the end of March. All nominations will be kept confidential. The awards will be presented in conjunction with the awards ceremony at the USAWA National Championships in Las Vegas.