“Let me win, and if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempts,” opened the powerlifting meet on Saturday.
Eight athletes gathered within the walls of Iler Gym, energized by cheerleaders and the small crowd of spectators. Each approached the weight racks in turn, beginning with the back squat.
Their red and black unitards stretched as they slowly lowered into a seated position, parallel to the ground before exploding upward, carrying the weight on their back with them.
The feeling of competition was nothing new. They pushed through the three powerlifting events, back squat, bench press and deadlift, three sets each round.
As spectators entered and exited, the table banners blew around, ruffling the words, “Special Olympics VA.”
Longwood hosted its first-ever Special Olympics powerlifting competition on Feb. 11, organized by the sports performance division of the university’s athletics department.
“It’s a really good feeling to be able to put something on for a group that may not be able to get as many opportunities, so the big the for me was to do the best event that I could for them,” said Assistant Sports Performance Coach C.J. Roth, the event’s main coordinator.
The competition was modeled on Olympic powerlifting, but they opted against creating subdivisions due to the number of participants. Each athlete differed in weight and height. Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Performance and Leadership Rick Canter judged each set.
Plans for the meet began in November, as Roth said he collaborated with College of Education and Human Services Dean Dr. Paul Chapman on the initial idea. Chapman and the college helped fund the event, paying for the athletes’ lunch and medals.
Working with Grayson Mullins, a coordinator for Nottoway County’s local Special Olympics group and Special Olympics Virginia Piedmont Region Director Lisa Wimbush, Roth set a date, was given any necessary equipment Iler lacked and spread the word.
“The Special Olympics community is very tight-knit so it makes it easy to get the word out,” said Roth.
According to Mullins, the open Longwood meet was one of the first in a powerlifting season that lasts until June. The athletes train two hours a week for competition. He said they have three more events planned before the state meet in mid-June.
“C.J. (Roth) was great to work with and we worked together. I was able to do some things that he couldn’t and he could do things that I couldn’t and the two of us have put on a great event so far,” said Mullins.
As a father of one of the competitors, Mullins, while looking at his son, Thomas, take a photo with a few spectators, said, “Just look at him, it’s the happiest day of his life.”
“Just thank Longwood so much for their graciousness of giving us the place to have this event,” he added.
Each athlete had different goals for the day. Sitting on an empty bench between sets, Darron Nicholas Austin Miller said he felt a little nervous, but had competed before. He said each time he lifts, he’s just trying to get stronger. Miller aimed to hit 500-pounds on deadlift.
To his right, Chris Smallwood said he was “on cloud nine,” very excited to compete.
“It feels wonderful to come out here and show these fans what we we’re all about,” said Smallwood. “This is what I dream for every year that I come and compete.”
The event also presented a chance for women from a Lynchburg group home to cheer alongside Longwood cheerleaders for the athletes. “Really for them it’s an opportunity to get out, get on campus, have some and really let loose,” said Roth.
Because it was an open meet, the athletes were mainly competing against themselves. Each were awarded a medal during halftime at the Longwood women’s basketball home game a few hours later.
According to Roth, the sports performance department plans on growing the event and continuing it next year.
Longwood sports performance interns assisted with the Special Olympics powerlifting competition all morning. The athletes squatted, bench pressed and deadlifted.
Each athlete was given three attempts at each lift, increasing weight every time. The weight for each set was determined by the competitor.
The lights represented a successful or unsuccessful attempt at each set. Success was indicated by a green light. Failure was indicated by a red light on the other side.
