Category Archives: USAWA Hall of Fame

USAWA CLASS OF 2026 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE: DAVE GLASGOW

Our next honoree to be admitted to the USAWA Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class is David Glasgow. He joins Abe Smith and David DeForest. Dave is a lifelong athlete who holds more than 100 USAWA records, many of which are pretty impressive and hard to break! As a lifelong athlete, he wrestled and played baseball in high school, and in college wrestled and played soccer. Outside of these sports, Dave gained recognition as a world class athlete in the Highland Games. The atmosphere around these games is so much like the USAWA in that competitors encourage and coach each other while at the same time trying to compete with their colleagues and themselves. The camaraderie is what makes our sport so attractive. Dave is a person who embodies this spirit at meets. His teammates at Ledaig Heavy Athletics Club value his presence for these reasons.  Dave’s nomination for the HOF highlights that he has competed in National Championships, IAWA World Championships, and the many meets hosted by the USAWA. His National and World Championships feature some top five finishes!

 Dave has been a valued member of the USAWA for many years (well we won’t say how many) and, like all our hall of famers, there is more to him than his athletic contributions. Dave is the founder of the Ledaig Heavy Athletics Club. He’s been a meet director for the Club Championships and record breaker meets, served the USAWA as a board member, and a certified referee. You can count on him refereeing and helping with the loading at meets I’ve attended with him, and he always has an encouraging word for lifters. He’s even stepped forward to host the 2027 USAWA National Championship meet.

In his life outside the gym Dave was a paramedic and an ER nurse for over 20 years and should be proud to have been part of a profession that saves lives. The 2026 USAWA class welcomes David Glasgow on his induction to the Hall of Fame! Congratulations.   

USAWA CLASS OF 2026 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

We’re not done with 2026 USAWA Awards just yet. We have some Hall of Famers to highlight for the Class of 2026. It is a pleasure to see Abe Smith join his teammate David DeForest in the 2026 USAWA HOF Class. Abe certainly makes a competitive and athletic case.  He has over 300 individual records, which is 12th place overall in the Century Club. He is one of the most prolific record holders in Clark’s Gym history. In spite of Abe’s young age, he has also served the USAWA on the executive board and as a referee. Abe has competed in the USAWA Nationals, IAWA World Championships, and the many events the USAWA sanctions. Every time he competes, he is a top five finisher. Abe has also been voted by his peers to be the USAWA Athlete of the Year for three years running (2022 – 2024).

Abe is part of the “old guard” from Clark’s Gym that has made many of us who joined the gym in the last five years feel welcome. In spite of his accomplishments and the incredibly large amount of weight he lifts, he is a very humble person. He will referee and load for his fellow lifters without being asked. If he’s asked to do these tasks at meets, he does so cheerfully. As a teacher, like the others on the “old guard” at Clark’s, he does not come up to a lifter and loudly offer advice. Rather, if he sees a lifter doing something that might endanger the lifter or if a lifter asks for his advice, he will explain technique patiently. While Abe lives in the Kansas City area, but when he’s in Columbia he is very welcome presence in our gym and brings a positive and effervescent personality. We always look forward to him coming to town and he is well-liked by all of us. He always cheers on his teammates and acknowledges others accomplishments before his own!

In his life outside the gym, he is a devoted family man to his own family in the Kansas City area and he regularly visits his family here in Boone County, MO area. He is also a person who has shown a tremendous amount of courage and tenacity in the weight room and in life! The 2026 USAWA HOF class welcomes Abe Smith as second of four members inducted this year!

2026 USAWA AWARD WINNERS: Sportsman of the Year (Men) and Hall of Fame Inductee

Today we’ll feature our 2026 USAWA Sportsman of the Year award winner and our first of four Hall of Fame Inductees this year. I am writing about none other than David DeForest. For Dave, this is his second straight Sportsman of the Year award. Last year, we mentioned that he embodies the definition of the word sportsman as he is a person who behaves sportingly, which is to say in a fair or generous manner (pictured below). Dave is genuinely loved in Clark’s Gym as evidenced by the gym team members who were at Nationals that wanted to share in the moment around him for these awards. We’ll mention some of the nuggets that we used last year. As a Sportsman he competes, but it is with a “quiet intensity” that does not let the weight get the best of him. As a 30+ year veteran, his lifting techniques are often near perfect. At a meet, or in the gym, Dave will do what is asked of him without complaint. And you’ll never hear him be overly vocal or dramatic on the floor. In Columbia, Dave is always available to the newer lifters in our gym to answer questions, help us improve technique, to load and spot, or to referee even if it means coming in when he’s not necessarily competing. He is also very humble about his own accomplishments, preferring instead to highlight his teammates.

As a Hall of Fame Inductee, we can highlight some of the qualities that make a lifter like Dave a choice for this honor. As in baseball or any other major sports, sustained excellence is a must. Dave now has more than 430 USAWA records which ranks 4th all-time and first in Clark’s gym. He’s competed at USAWA National Championship Meets as well as other USAWA meets that have Championships in the title, even when they have not been in Columbia. Dave competed at an IAWA World Championship when it was here in the USA. But he didn’t just compete, in five of the six National or IAWA events, he finished in the top 10. He frequently competes in most USAWA events and finishes strong. He’s won USAWA Awards, been lifter of the month, and a referee for many years. But, there is always more to Hall of Famers than just athletic accomplishments. The many qualities highlighted above for the Sportsman Award make Dave a natural choice for the USAWA Hall of Fame. He is one of three from the “old vets” in Clark’s Gum who is still around and a valued teammate. The newer generation considers him a leader on our team. Additionally, Dave enjoys a good life outside of Clark’s gym. These days he’s enjoying the title grandpa. Dave and Kristi also work hard in their apple orchard (along with some peach and apricot) and along with the fruit make great products like apple cider or apple butter that find their way to local farmer’s markets. Congratulations to the 2026 USAWA Sportsman of the Year and one of the 2026 Hall of Fame inductees, David DeForest!

Hall of Fame Biography – Joe Ciavattone Sr., class of 1996

Joe Ciavattone Sr. at the 2000 USAWA National Championships performing a 661# Neck Lift, before he set the All-Time USAWA and IAWA Neck Lift Record of 804.5 pounds in 2005.

Joe Ciavattone Sr. was born July 9th, 1968 in Norwood, Massachusetts.  He has lived in Norwood his entire life.  Joe has worked in construction throughout his working life, and is currently a construction foreman and heavy equipment operator.  He has several construction licenses, including a hydraulic, tractor trailer, and supervisor’s license.  For the past 6 years Joe has been busy working on a 200 house subdivision site.  Joe has been married to his wife Debbie for 18 years.  They have four sons – Mike, Marc, Joe Jr., and Jonathon.  They have lived in their house since 1994, which is also the home of Joe’s Gym.  Joe’s Gym has a very nice set up of weights and equipment needed for all the USAWA lifts and general weight training.  A big part of Joe’s training now is involved with coaching and training with his sons.

Joe Ciavattone at age 15 competing in an Olympic Weightlifting Meet.

Joe started weight lifting at the age of 4 in his parents shed with his brother Frank, another USAWA Hall of Famer.  They are the only two brothers in the USAWA who are both in the USAWA Hall of Fame.  They trained together whenever possible.  As Joe got older, he started competing in local Olympic Lifting meets throughout the New England area.  He became involved with the USAWA in 1990 at the Strongest Man in New England Contest which was sanctioned by the USAWA.  Joe continued to compete in Olympic Lifting until 1995.  Some of the competitions he competed in were the Bay State Games, Salam Open, Atlantic State Open, Holyoke Open, and various AAU Junior Olympic Meets.  He also competed in the Junior Olympics in 1987 in Syracuse, New York.  He trained in Rhode Island under the great coach Joe Mills.  Joe still comments that was one of the best lifting experiences of his life.  During this time in his training, he perfected the Split Clean and Split Snatch under Coach Mills which has helped his weight training through today.  At that Junior Olympic Weightlifting Meet, Joe placed third as a teenager, which he feels was a testament of his quality training.  Joe played football for 5 years, including 8th grade and throughout High School.  He was Captain of his High School football team.  He started Varsity as a Junior and Senior at the Center position and was Honorable Mention for State as a Senior.  Since then, he has still been involved in football and has been a youth coach for 16 years, from 1987 to 1995, and from 2004 to 2010.  He is very proud to have coached two teams to the Youth Superbowl with a record since 2004 of 41-15.   Joe also coaches weightlifting at his local High School for athletes involved in the football and baseball program at his gym, Joe’s Gym.  Joe remarked, “I’ve always enjoyed coaching football and weightlifting over the years as all the knowledge I have gotten in lifting in the USAWA from good friends here in the US and England.  The knowledge of competing and training that I have gotten has made me the coach and champion that I am today.”

Joe Ciavattone pressing the famous Ciavattone Train Wheels in 2000.

Joe made sure to mention his brother Frank and credits him for getting him involved in lifting at a young age. Frank  encouraged him to pursue Olympic Lifting, and eventually persuaded him to get involved with the USAWA.  The mixture and variety of the various All-Round Lifts fit Joe perfectly as it allows him to get all forms of lifting within one organization.  Today, Joe trains mostly at his home gym, Joe’s Gym.  Since he is busy with work and family, it is the best fit for his schedule.  It also allows him to spend time with his sons, as they train for weightlifting and football.

Joe has been involved as a meet director within the USAWA.  Some of the competitions he has promoted include the 1997 New England Strongman Championship, the Ciavattone Classic, the Norwood Record Breakers Day, Joe’s Gym Record Breaking Day, the Norwood Championships, the New England Championships, Gardner’s versus Ciavattone’s Postal Meet, and the Ciavattone versus Fulton Postal Meet.  His gym has recently been very active in the USAWA Postal Meet Series.

Joe Ciavattone Hack Lifting 454 pounds at the 1998 World Championships in England.

The Neck Lift is the lift that Joe is most proud of.  He has held the World Record in it in four different weight classes and breaking such barriers as 700 pounds and 800 pounds.  He holds the All-Time Neck Lift Record for the USAWA and IAWA with a lift of 804.5 pounds.  The other lifts he likes are all the varieties of Bench Presses within the USAWA.  Joe currently has a unequipped Bench Press of 375 pounds.  The Ciavattone Deadlift is also a favorite, and he feels it is a true test of hand and leg strength. When asked what initially interested him in the USAWA, Joe replied, “I like the many different type of lifts and training different lifts for competition, which makes this sport very interesting to me.” When asked if there were any meets that meant the most to him, Joe replied, “In 1998 I went to the World Championships in Leicester, England.  I had trouble in training for the Hack Lift, and only was getting 300 pounds in training, but got 454 pounds at the meet.  Training for a year as well as saving money to go over seas was hard, but was well worth it to bring home a Gold Medal.  The second meet was the 2005 USAWA Heavy Lift Championships where I Neck Lifted 804.5 pounds for the All-Time Record.  The third meet would be the 2005 Gold Cup in Maui, Hawaii where I saved up money to take a weeks vacation with my wife and break the World Record in the Reverse Grip Bench Press of 300 pounds.”

Joe’s resume of Championships is quite long.  He has been World Champion  5 times, National Champion 6 times, and has won 3 National Heavy Lift Championships.  He has also competed in 6 Gold Cups. In 1998 at the USAWA National Championships in Mansfield, Massachusetts, Joe was the Best Lifter of the entire meet!

Joe is a perfect example of someone who can lead a balanced life and still be a Champion Weightlifter. He spends a lot of hours at work, yet still finds time to be involved with his son’s activities, and not just in attendance, but actively involved as their coach and supporter.  On top of this, Joe always helps out as an official at meets and attends as many meets that he can.  You can count on him supporting the USAWA through participation in Postal Meets at Joe’s Gym.  In closing, Joe remarked, “Being part of the USAWA is a very important part of my life because of the friends I have made, and the competitions are always of the highest quality.”

Hall of Fame Biography – Scott Schmidt, class of 2010

Scott Schmidt performing a Snatch in an Olympic Lifting Competition.

Scott Schmidt was born on November 15th, 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio. He has lived in the Greater Cleveland area his entire life. He has been married to his wife Kathy for almost 33 years, and they have two children, Alan and Heather, and one grandson Joel. He has spent his entire working career in business, and currently he is selling Natural Gas and Electric service to commercial accounts. Scott also does a lot of volunteer work for his church, Unity Lutheran of Cleveland. He has been President of the Church Council for 12 years. His other athletic pursuit is golf, which he does at least once per week. Believe it or not, Scott is a pretty good golfer as well as weightlifter, and often scores in the low 80’s. Last year he received a plaque for his first Hole in One!

One of Scott's favorite All-Round Lifts is the Hip Lift.

Scott started lifting when he was 14 years old. His first competition was in 1967. Scott started his competitive lifting career as an Olympic Lifter and has compiled a very impressive resume of achievements. He has won the Ohio Open State Championships 10 times, the Ohio Master’s State Championships 18 times, American Open four times, 2 National Master’s Championships, and 4 American Open Masters Championships, along with 4 Pan American Masters Championships. He has placed in the top 5 in all four of the World Championships he has been in. In 1993, he missed winning first place in the World Championships due to one missed snatch! Scott has set over 50 Open and Masters Ohio State Records through his Olympic lifting career. On top of ALL THIS, his club, the Schmidt’s Barbell Club, has won 25 team titles!

Scott was first introduced to the USAWA by Bob Karhan, a past USAWA Champion. Scott’s first USAWA competition was in 1992 at the USAWA Winter Fest, a winter all-round meet which was held at the Ambridge Barbell Club. Since then, Scott has been a regular at USAWA meets and always a top competitor at our National Championships. His specialties are overhead pressing and jerks, gripping events, and the heavy lifts – notably the Hand and Thigh and the Hip Lift. Back in 1996, he was the first man in the USAWA to Clean and Push Press over 300 pounds. He is member of the “century club” – a designation given to USAWA lifters who hold over 100 USAWA records. There are ONLY 20 lifters in this club, which is another accomplishment that warrants Scott’s outstanding involvement with the USAWA. In All-Round Lifting, Scott has won 10 National Championships and 8 World Championships. He has participated in the Gold Cup 6 times. He has placed in the top TEN among all competitors 4 times at the USAWA National Championships, with his best finish being 2nd overall at the 2008 Championships.

Scott Schmidt is the perfect example of the type of person and lifter all others should strive to be like.  He has been a leader in the USAWA. He supports his fellow competitors. He demonstrates outstanding sportsmanship. He has supported local competitions as well as being involved in the major competitions.  Scott has more than earned this USAWA Hall of Fame Award.

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