U.S. Air Force Academy Weightlifting Tournament
By Kim Goss, C.S.C.S. seldom able to recruit any exceptionally large players Assistant Strength Coach « Air Force Academy (our average varsity football player last year weighed something like 205 pounds!), having 23 athletes Cleaning 250-plus was, we felt, a respectable number. and for 24 of them it was their first contest. In addition This year we saw 104 football players Clean at least 250, to weightlifters and football players, athletes from many and of those 90 percent of them made the team! Quite a other sports lifted, including track, diving, softball, coincidence, wouldn’t you say?
basketball, shooting, bodybuilding, and lifting —we even had a cheerleader compete!
Contestants could perform either the Clean and Jerk or just the Clean—some of these athletes had never performed a Jerk, so we didn’t want to risk an injury. There was no entry fee, no requirement for membership in a weightlifting federation, and no requirement for a special lifting suit. And thanks to pre-meet T-shirt sales, all contestants received a free T-shirt.
For the cadets, the highlight of the competition was seeing Outland Trophy Winner Chad Hennings Clean an “absolute” Academy record of 380 pounds. We also saw a 130-pound woman Clean and Jerk 170 pounds, and Olympic hopeful Wayne Watkins Clean and Jerk 336 pounds at a body weight of only 153.5 pounds.
| encourage our athletes to compete in weightlifting One of the all-time leading scorers on the AFA basketball team, Stacey Goss, Clean and Jerked 148 pounds. during the off season because such competitions help motivate them to work harder in the weight room. | decided to hold this type of competition because many of our athletes are reluctant to participate in open weightlifting meets because of the initial expense ($12 USWF registration fee and $10-$15 entry fee), and because they would have to acquire a lifting suit and learn how to Snatch. The USWF is supportive of this type of contest because it can serve as a great recruiting tool for them.
In fact, after the competition many of these athletes started practicing the Snatch and expressed an interest in competing in USWF meets. Finally, | have a few statistics you might find of interest. Our 1983 football team had 23 athletes who could Clean 250 pounds or more by the end of the After only two weeks of training, 97-pound Amy Walker winter conditioning program. Since the Academy is Clean and Jerked 88 pounds.
97 Ibs.
132 lbs.
148 Ibs.
18} lbs.
181 lbs. 198 Ibs.
220 Ibs.
132 lbs.
198 lbs.
220 Ibs.
242 Ibs.
148 Ibs.
165 lbs.
181 Ibs.
242 Ibs.
380"
From BFS Magazine — September/October 1988. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
