Saint Louis has many sports that take place during the winter season and has now welcomed a new sport in powerlifting. The SLHS physical education teacher Mr. Wawersik will be the head coach for this team. 

Powerlifting has been around since the 1980’s but started to gain popularity in the last decade. Powerlifting competitions consist of three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. Each athlete is given three attempts for each exercise to lift as much weight as he or she can. The top two people in each weight class earn points for their team. The scoring for each event is 12 points for first place, nine points for second place, eight points for third, and each place after that gets one less point all the way to 10th place earning one point. 

This powerlifting season the SLHS athletes will get to compete in at least two competitions and those who qualify could move on to the state finals. There will be a boys’ junior varsity and varsity team as well as a girls’ junior varsity and varsity team. 

Coach Wawersik said, “I’m extremely excited about this season. I’ve been wanting to coach a powerlifting club for years now so I’m very thankful to be getting this opportunity.  I think this season will go great. I can tell my athletes are highly motivated, and I know they are capable of great things. One challenge of starting a new sports team is finding people who are willing to take a chance on something new.  Powerlifting has been around since the 80’s but has only been popular for about a decade or so.  Because of that, most people aren’t very familiar with it so there are fewer who are willing to take a chance at the unknown.” 

Junior Kalen Lipk, a member of the new powerlifting team, said, “ I am very excited to be on the powerlifting team. I think our team will do very well, and we have a good amount of members that will hopefully make it to state.” 

The first powerlifting competition of the season will be Jan. 28, at Millington High School. This meet will be for both the JV and varsity teams.