feedback
 

30°F

Overcast

Wind: N at 4.6 mph

Windchill: 25°F (-4°C)

As of Mar 28 2024, 12:55 pm

Students »

  • Each day more than 5,500 students learn and thrive in Moorhead Area Public Schools. We are proud of your successes both inside and outside the classroom.
  • Bullying Prevention

SPUDS Landing »

Parents »

New Families »

Community »

  • From seeing how the district spends tax dollars to providing opportunities for lifelong learning, Moorhead Area Public Schools and the community are partners in education. We welcome your interest.
Lifelong Learning
News299536

Moorhead adds weightlifting to athletic opportunities; 16 students qualify for state

March 9, 2018

If you walk through the right part of Moorhead High School you may hear some unusual sounds. A metallic clink, a sigh, an intake of breath, a groan, followed by a loud bang. A new sport is taking hold at Moorhead Schools. Athletes are practicing their weight-lifting techniques and working out, building their bodies, and spending time with friends.

Weightlifting is gaining momentum as a school activity. Appealing to student athletes wanting to maintain fitness levels during their off season, weightlifting also is attracting students who might not otherwise compete in sports. While weightlifting is hardly a new sport, for high schools it is a relatively recent addition.

In Moorhead, weightlifting began with only two competitors four years ago, growing to 11 members the following year. This year Moorhead High had 60 students come out for the team — 35 boys and 25 girls in grades 7-12.

Weight training has gained popularity with fitness trainers as a better means to fitness than cardio workouts. Weightlifting in the schools has benefited from this appeal. Plus, with the focus on competing against oneself rather than other athletes, and the focus on striving for personal improvement, the sport is attracting new students. The added benefits of camaraderie and supportive feedback make it more comfortable than some other sports. And, all it requires is time, a pair of shoes and workout attire.

Competitive events are held throughout the region from December to March for the winter season of lifting. The competitions are sanctioned and administered under the rules of USA Weightlifting, including the Minnesota State High School Championships. High school athletes compete in the snatch and the clean and jerk. To qualify for the state meet, lifters must achieve a combined minimum score for the two events in a sanctioned competition during the year. The required weight to be lifted to qualify for state varies by weight class and is different for junior varsity and varsity competitors.

Competitors have three attempts each in the two events. They can begin their lifts at any allowed weight and increase it after a successful lift, but they cannot reduce the weight to be lifted once weight has been placed on the bar. A successful lift requires raising the weight while using proper technique as viewed by three separate judges. Two out of the three judges must agree the lift was completed for the lift to count.

Moorhead recently hosted its third competition and here, too, the growth has been phenomenal. From one platform three years ago, with about 40 athletes from five schools and less than 100 spectators, this year’s competition required two platforms and drew 95 lifters from eight schools and an estimate of more than 400 spectators.

This year’s competition saw Spuds qualify for state, set personal bests and receive medals at almost every weight class in which they competed. The Spud girls junior varsity took seven medals, including two firsts, and the girls varsity had two first place finishers, three seconds, and two each for third and fourth place. The boys junior varsity had 10 medalists out of 12 competitors, including two firsts and three seconds. The varsity team fielded 16 competitors, and all but one medaled, with four firsts, four seconds and the other seven finishing in third through sixth place in their weight classes.

Highlights from this year’s meet included the youngest Spud competing, seventh-grader Xavier Thomas; Olivia Carlson qualifying for the state competition; and a state record set by Little Falls’ Amari Riley with a lift of 73 kilos in the snatch. Riley currently holds state records for all three categories: snatch, clean and jerk, and combined total at 73K.

The Spuds currently have 16 state qualifiers. After finishing third at last year’s state meet in junior varsity, the Spuds are looking to improve this year.

In 2017, Hunter Brandt won the 94K weight class with a combined total of 251K for the varsity. Junior varsity lifters Terrance Weah placed first in the 85K class, while Chrisanto D’Agostina and Ali Younis placed second and third in 94K, respectively. Yunxiang Cai placed third in the 69K weight class. The girls varsity had four competitors at the 2017 state tournament with Rebekah Nelsen, Marci Hart and Alexis Thomas on the varsity and Jordan Nichols competing for junior varsity.

Five of last year’s qualifiers will be returning to the state competition as MHS sends 16 lifters, 13 of whom are rated in the top five in their weight classes.

Coach Cory Herrmann summed up the season. “This year I have been very impressed with the kids,” he said. “They have displayed a high level of hard work and dedication, and they come to practice with enthusiasm every day. They are an outstanding group of young athletes.”

– Bill Grover

 
Photos: (1) Moorhead High’s Chrisanto D’Agostino successfully snatches 102K and takes first in his weight class. (2) Moorhead High’s Ty Hayes attempts 61K for his second snatch. Hayes takes first in his weight class. (3) Moorhead High’s Shane Spencer successfully clean and jerks 59K. Combining that with her snatch lift she won the competition in her weight class at the MHS weightlifting meet. Photos: Bill Grover

Categorized under: School