[WEIGHTLIFTING PROGRAMS]


USAW’S NEW SCHOLASTIC/ COLLEGIATE DEVELOPMENT


AND LWC INITIATIVES BY ARTIE DRECHSLER


OUR SCHOLASTIC/ COLLEGIATE INITIATIVE USA Weightlifting recognizes that incorporating weightlifting


programs into more schools and colleges is one of the keys to developing our sport. Some of an athlete’s most productive train- ing years occur while they are students, and they generally make their athletic ‘career decisions while still in school. In most schools, weightlifting is not a recognized sport. This is unfortunate on at least two levels. First, weightlifting is one of the most effective means for increasing fitness, managing bodyweight, improving health and building self-esteem known. It is a safe and fascinating sport which students are likely to continue. But if weightlifting is not an option for student participation then our young people will miss an opportunity to become involved in what could be a lifelong fitness activity. Second, missing out on this sport is a tragedy because so many


young people who might have the ability and motivation to make it all the way to the Olympic Games miss their chance, simply be- cause they were not introduced to this great sport. Where weightlifting has been introduced in a school system,


it has enjoyed great success. As a few examples, Michael Cohen produced many nationally and internationally successful athletes during his tenure as a high school teacher in Georgia. Glenn Pendlay had similar success in a high school in Texas. Kevin and Paul Doherty have some of the best young talent coming through their program in California. CJ Stockel has had great success in the schools he has been in and a But our school successes have been limited due to lack of replication across the nation. We need to address this issue and focus on how we can get weightlifting into more school programs. Similarly, we have had scattered and period success in col-


legiate environments; Louisiana State University, Shreveport, Northern Michigan University and Lindenwood University, as just a few examples. We are also seeing some exciting opportunities in Tennessee and California. But we are still, barely reaching the potential of spreading these programs. If weightlifting was an option in even 20% of the schools and


colleges in the US, imagine the dramatic increase we would see in our junior and young senior lifters. In an effort to address this problem, we are working to assem-


ble USAW members and non-members who have expertise in this area, to work with us to build a complete program and get weight- lifting in our schools. We invite everyone who is willing and able to help us here to volunteer. It would not be an overstatement to say that the future success of our sport, and the future of our nation’s health, depends on it.


LWC GOVERNANCE AND ORGANIZATION Our LWC’s have been one of the backbones of our sport since


its inception. Initially created under the old AAU decentralized organizational structure for all sports, these local committees remained an integral part of our organization when it became independent in the late 1970s. However, when our governance changed dramatically in 2008, our focus on the LWCs declined somewhat. The initial USAW Board of Directors wisely chose to try to maintain the LWC structure as fully as it could during the transi- tion process to new governance, but since the change we have not focused on how our LWCs are structured and working. At its meeting in October, the USAW BOD decided that it was time to take a fresh look at our LWCs. As an initial step in that effort, a questionnaire was sent to


all currently listed LWC officers. It asked the officers to provide current information regarding the LWC, such as whether our officer listing was correct, how the officers were selected (hopefully through an election), what the financial status of the LWC was (e.g., assets, profit or non) and what activities the LWC has been conducting. We know that many


HOLLEY MANGOLD WORKING HARD TO HOLD ON TO HER 140KG CLEAN AND JERK AT THE AMERICAN OPEN


of our LWCs are healthy and active. But we also have heard that some never


hold elections,


transparency regarding finances is not in place and general issues of fairness have arisen. Where this is true we wish to address the problem, but for all LWCs we want to make sure that the current structure is optimal. We urge all of our members to cooperate with our information


outreach


program, and we wel- come any suggestions regarding our LWCs.


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