The Iron Tribe powerlifting season started with a home meet on Jan. 16. The Maidens came in first and the Indians in third.
The Maidens got a new coach this season as Richard Rosales moved from track to powerlifting.
“I have always coached the boys’ side of powerlifting,” Rosales said. “Coaching the girls is a good change. The girls think differently than the boys. We have a scrappy team. We worked hard and won first place at the home meet.”
Indian Coach John Richmond said the Indian work ethic is similar to other Tribe sports.
“Speaking more specifically, they are willing too do the hard work,” Richmond said. “They pay attention to the small details required to physically grow their strength and technique.”
Junior Colby Sanders said he needs to get all his weight to make it to regionals.
“All of my weight has gone up through off-season training,” Sanders said. “They are really supportive. This is my second year, and I’m hoping to do a third.”
The lifters will travel to Plains on Feb. 13 for the third meet of the season. Senior Yumalai Robledo Perez took third place at the home meet in the 132-pound weight class with a total of 505 pounds over three events.
“I work during practice as much as I can to get stronger in order to make it to regionals,” Robledo Perez said. “I’m stronger in deadlifts. I work on pushing myself to get the most weight and give myself positive motivation.”
Richmond said the Indians have lifters who are ranked higher regionally than they were last year.
“We have more experienced lifters who have a stronger sense of what to expect and how to lead their teammates,” Richmond said. “This group is hungry for success, and they are all working to achieve that success with grit, integrity and toughness.”
Junior Halen Hadley took second place in the 220-pound weight class at the home meet with a total of 935 pounds over three events.
“I like bench press,” Hadley said. “Over the years, I’ve struggled on it, and I’ve worked on it. The highest bench in my weight class of 275 pounds. I’m working on being in the top 10.”
Sophomore Destiny Neeld said Coach Rosales is a good addition to the team.
“He helps us be stronger,” Neeld said. “He pushes me more than I push myself. I like how I feel at the home meet. Everyone is nice; it’s like a family.”
Sophomore Mikayla Bush said she works as hard as possible to be able to go to regionals. She took second place in the 242+pound weight class, lifting 620 total pounds.
“I definitely need to work harder and gain more confidence,” Bush said. “If I tell myself, I can’t do something, eventually it will come true.”
At the Slaton meet on Jan. 30, the Maiden team took fourth overall while the Indians were seventh.
