Photo above: Junior Wylie Brown and sophomore Ja’Vontay Williams represented the Dragons at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association’s state meet in Abilene on March 22.
Powerlifting is a sport that is often overlooked and even more commonly misunderstood. Competitors are grouped by weight class: 114.5-pounds, 123.5-pounds, 132.5-pounds, 148.5-pounds, 165.5-pounds, 181.5-pounds, 198.5-pounds, 220.5-pounds, 242.5-pounds, 275.5-pounds, and super heavyweight (exceeding 275.5- pounds).
Athletes compete in three lifts: bench, squat, and dead lift. The sum of the three lifts makes up their total weight, which determines their final placement.
Brown finished with 880-pounds – good for ninth place in the 114.5-pound weight class – and Williams totaled 1175-pounds – 18th in the 148.5- pound weight class.
“I am extremely proud of these two young men,” said head powerlifting coach Todd Palmer. “They showed that hard work and commitment really pay off.”
Powerlifting season begins in January and ends in March with the state meet.
Lifters practice Monday through Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m., alternating upper-body and lower-body workouts, along with other auxiliary lifts to increase strength.
Powerlifting is open to all students willing to adhere to the rules found in the athletic handbook. These rules include, and are not limited to, maintaining academic eligibility and submitting to random drug testing.
This year, Nacogdoches had 32 students involved in powerlifting.
Students interested in joining the powerlifting team can contact coach Palmer at 936-564-2466.