Chad Ullom – Ciavattone Courage Award
By Al Myers
My longtime friend and fellow Dino Gym member Chad Ullom was recently awarded the Ciavattone Courage Award. This special award was presented to him by Frank Ciavattone on behalf of the Ciavattone Family. The USAWA presents several awards yearly, but this private award from the Ciavattone Family predates those. One of the first recipients was Howard Prechtel who truly was a leader and sportsman in the USAWA, which he received in 1995. The full list of Ciavattone Award winners is listed on the website under “Past USAWA Awards” if you are interested.
Chad truly is deserving of this recognition. I could carry “on and on” about his past lifting achievements in the USAWA and the IAWA, but I know Chad well enough to know that he is a person who is not about the glory. He one of the humblest athletes I have ever been around. His enjoyment in our sport comes from the interaction and camaraderie of participation. He’s a fierce competitor on the platform, but the first to be the “life of the party” after the event.
Chad just recently competed in the IAWA Worlds in Lebanon after a recent surgery. His performance was a great inspiration to me. Chad exemplifies the spirit of the Ciavattone Courage Award!