By Moses Leos III.
The members of the Lehman and Hays High girls’ powerlifting teams wish to prove one thing: you don’t have to be buff — or a man — to powerlift.
On Friday, Lehman plays host to the 2014 Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association (THSWPA) Region 2 meet. A total of 20 Hays CISD girls qualified from both schools, lifting more than 10,000 pounds between them.
Powerlifting comprises three disciplines: the bench press, squat and deadlift.
| Lehman High powerlifters Mery Vargas (top) and Christina Ramirez (bottom) perform the deadlift at the 2014 Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association (THSWPA) region 2, division I meet at Lehman High School on Friday afternoon. A total of 20 Hays CISD powerlifters competed, with the Leh-man Lady Lobos claiming the team first place crown. Lehman took the competition by storm, scoring a total of 37 points, advancing to the state competition. Five individual Lady Lobos – Mery Vargas, Kali Palomarez, Heidi Munoz, Christina Ramirez and Natalie Guerra – also advanced to state in their weight classes. The THSWPA state competition will be held Mar. 13-15 at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi. (Photos by Moses Leos III) |
Lifters announce their attempted weight and have three chances to make it. They can add, but not remove weight, on the bench and squat. Lifters are given two chances to subtract, or bump, weight in the deadlift.
Seems easy enough, but athletes say the mind games behind the sport play a big role. Hays’ head powerlifting head coach Stuart Foreman likened it to “a game of chess.”
While they get three shots to make their weight, knocking down the very first discipline is crucial.
“The first lift is the one that makes everyone nervous,” Hays’ junior qualifier Madison Spears said. “If you don’t get it, you don’t move on.”
While the sport can be individually based, the team aspect still reigns supreme. In addition, the squads gain the support of various other sports — often the male dominated ones.
It helps them push forward and motivates them to progress.
“(When) the weight (amounts) go up and you see improve on your maxes, it makes you happy,” Hays junior qualifier Crystal Mendez said. “You know you’ve achieved something.”
But what motivated them to join the sport?
For many, it’s the family ties that bind them – many have relatives or siblings who powerlifted.
Others knew they were built for powerlifting.
“My dad told me I was built like a Mack truck,” Lehman senior Christina Ramirez said. “I needed to use my shoulders for good.”
The lifters that don’t seem built for powerlifting are often the most striking, evidenced by Hays sophomore Erica Munoz and Lehman junior Mery Vargas.
What they lack in size – Munoz weights only 112 lbs., Vargas 122 – they make up for in the weight room. Munoz qualified by lifting a combined 505 lbs.; Vargas lifted 700.
“(People) think I’m going to get cut and look like a guy,” Vargas said. “I’m still pretty lean and fit. Most of us on the team are.”
Hays and Lehman now eye the chance to head to state – and a chance to dethrone eight-time defending champ Port Lavaca Calhoun.
At Hays, Foreman helms his second full year as powerlifting head coach, where he has seen the program slowly grow. Only three girls were in powerlifting five years ago; six are currently in the program, with three advancing to region.
Building and improving is the goal for Foreman; his mantra?
“If you want to lift heavy weight, you have to feel heavyweight,” he tells the girls.
It is compounded by his team’s relative youth. Of the three qualifiers, two are juniors, one a sophomore – all went through their first year in powerlifting.
While they are chasing the Lehman girls powerlifting program, the progress made by the Hays team is apparent in their coaches’ eyes.
“I’m proud of them to achieve making regionals in their first year,” Foreman said. “They will all be back next year.”
Lehman’s success dominates the landscape. Over the past two seasons, a combined 20 girls qualified to state, with the team finishing second to Port Lavaca Calhoun last year.
In 2014, 17 Lady Lobos will compete at region meet, with three girls atop their weight class.
Head coach Trey Rose sees the potential from his team, despite losing four seniors in 2013.
Junior Natalie Guerra, who is ranked third in the state in the 220 lbs. weight class, is the sole returning lifter from last year.
Rose sees constant improvement, and believes seven to nine girls could qualify to state.
Regardless, the key is to form their identity.
“They can’t base themselves on what others have done,” Rose said. “They are different.”
But dispelling the male-dominated stereotype of powerlifting is empowering for all involved.
If anything, proving their doubters wrong brings great joy.
“People don’t think that powerlifting is for girls; they think you are this bulky girl that looks like a man,” Mendez said. “Just because you’re not a guy, doesn’t mean you can’t lift.”
