Team Championships
By Al Myers
MEET RESULTS –
2019 USAWA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dean Ross and LaVerne Myers pulling a BIG 2 man Fulton Bar Jefferson Lift at the 2019 Team Championships. Both of these guys are over 75 years of age and are a formidable team lifting duo !!!
The USAWA Team Champs may not have been a large meet this year, but it made up for that in the heated battle between the two teams that were there!
I was a little concerned that my teammate Chad might be worn out from his heavy lifting the day before at the OTSM Champs in Missouri, and not be at full strength. I also was very aware of the venerable veteran due of LaVerne and Dean, and how they had been training secretly together to knock us off our throne this year. Chad and I have won the overall at 10 previous Team Championships together and have not been beaten yet, but all streaks come to an end eventually. I was concerned that this might be that year. Both Dean and LaVerne seemed very confident before the meet, and Dean even made a boisterous comment how they were gonna take us down! Plus I knew since the USAWA adopted the IAWA scoring format this year they were gonna get an additional 10% to their total points.
Dean and LaVerne had the lead through the first 3 lifts. I was hopeful that we would catch them on the no thumbs deadlift, but that didn’t happen. It got tense at one point when pops told me to quit checking the point status with the calculator, as he knew we would have the last attempt with the fulton bar Jefferson and I would know how much we needed! Well, it took all we had to get our final lift for the win! (and of course I knew how much we needed to lift haha). Dean even tried to stop us just as we got ready to lift by saying he wanted to get his camera out to take a picture as he was hoping to throw us off our pre-lift psyche. That’s a master sly trick only done by a wily seasoned lifter who knows how to play “head games” with his competition.
This was the closest finish in Team Championship history. Dean and LaVerne will pick up an additional percent next year so Chad and I may have to do a little secret training ourselves if we are to stay ahead of them. It was a great day at the Dino Gym, and after the meet we did several finger lift records for the fun of it. I really want to encourage others to join us next year for this Championships. It’s truly one of the most enjoyable meets I do every year in the USAWA.
Meet Results:
2019 USAWA Team Championships
Dino Gym
Holland, KS
September 8th, 2019
Meet Director: Al Myers
Scorekeeper: Al Myers
Officials (1-Official System Used): Al Myers & LaVerne Myers
Lifts: Curl- Strict Reverse Grip, Snatch – From Hang, Deadlift – No Thumbs Overhand Grip, Jefferson Lift – Fulton Bar
MENS DIVISION
Al Myers & Chad Ullom – 45+ Age Group 105KG BWT Class
Al Myers (53 Years Old, 228# BWT) & Chad Ullom (47 Years Old, 228# BWT)
LaVerne Myers & Dean Ross – 75+ Age Group 110KG BWT Class
LaVerne Myers (75 Years Old, 230# BWT) & Dean Ross (76 Years Old, 235# BWT)
| Lifters | Curl | Snatch | DLNT | Jeff | TOT | PTS |
| Al & Chad | 175 | 175 | 700 | 800 | 1850 | 1662.7 |
| LaVerne & Dean | 150 | 150 | 550 | 520 | 1370 | 1638.4 |
Notes: All lifts recorded in pounds. TOT is total pounds lifted. PTS are overall amended points corrected for age and bodyweight.
RECORD DAY LIFTS AFTER THE MEET
Dean Ross – 76 years old, 235# BWT
Finger Lift – Middle, Left 131#
Finger Lift – Middle, Right 131#
Chad Ullom – 47 years old, 228# BWT
Finger Lift – Middle, Right 95#
Finger Lift – Middle, Left 95#
LaVerne Myers – 75 years old, 230# BWT
Finger Lift – Middle, Left 95#
Finger Lift – Middle, Right 95#
Finger Lift – Index, Left 95#
Finger Lift – Index, Right 95#
Finger Lift – Ring, Left 85#