Nationals Update

by Tim Piper

We are slowly getting entries in for the National Championships on June 21st. We are hoping for a good turnout but to make sure we are not short on awards or food for the banquet it would be great if we could get a head count by next thursday. The event is coming together well.

We have the catering set up already and will be starting the buffet style dinner around 6:30 on Saturday night at Free Range Yoga, my wife’s studio downtown Maocmb. The banquet fee will be $15 to cover cost of food, entertainment, and studio fees (I am still working on getting the facility rent free…HA!) We are serving fried chicken, tortilla crusted talapia, mashed potatoes and gravy, shells and cheese, and a broccoli dish, with some homemade desserts to follow. We will be supplying some drinks but if you wish to bring in your favorite beverage that is fine with us. ALSO, we have some very unique entertainment lined up that we think you all will enjoy. Won’t tell you what it is but it should be a fun surprise for all who attend and it will certainly it will be a first for USAWA banquets.

The meet will be held at 505 N. Randolph outside under the big top. We are running a two session meet so things should run smoothly. Not sure how we will split the sessions up yet but that will all fall into place as we get the entries sorted out. Lifting for the first session will start at 10 a.m. The meet site is fully equipped with plenty of kilo plates for the meet, warm-up area, an Apollon’s axle form Ironmind, and we will be using old-school York dumbbells for the crucifix. We have a crew of experienced loaders from our gym to help make sure the meet runs quickly as they know kilos well. We only use kilos in our gym so bring your conversion charts!

We need a final headcount for the meet and banquet by June 11th to make sure we have the right amount of food and awards so please email me at tj-piper@wiu.edu if you haven’t already sent in your entry forms.

Can’t wait to show off our little gym, our studio, and Macomb to all the great lifters and family of the USAWA.

Tim and Dawn Piper