Powerlifting athletes spend hours building their muscles and getting ready for meets. And while the fans in the stands applaud the show of strength that the athletes display, the athletes themselves know the challenges are more than that.
“The mental state of it,” Ariadna Martinez said. “It’s just very mental – a very mental sport.
Sophomore Hunter Gore agrees that while powerlifting is a measure of physical strength, it is also a mental battle.
“The biggest challenge is it’s all in your head,” Gore said. “You don’t think you can do it, but then you go out there and do it.”
And when lifts don’t go as planned, the athletes have to shake it off and have another try. Sophomore Camden Evans did just that, missing a lift but keeping a positive attitude. When asked what she was going to do differently for the next lift, she said she was going to make it.
“I’m going to do the same thing,” Evans said. “But I’m going to get it up.”
And on the next attempt, she did just that, showing that a positive attitude can be as important as the actual muscle behind the lift.
The coaches know the importance of a positive mindset as well, and they also know that if an athlete isn’t pushing themselves to the point of failure, they won’t be as likely to improve. Coach Ashlee Cameron said watching the failed lifts is tough, but necessary.
“Feeling like they can’t get a lift, losing that confidence when they fail in an attempt,” Cameron said, “but it all comes with progressing into the next lift.”
Senior Maylene Caceres, who has competed in powerlifting at the state level for the past two years and is aiming for a third, said that while the physical challenge was tough, insecure thoughts tend to take over.
“Your mindset,” Caceres said. “You get one rep wrong, and you start thinking you can’t do it.”
And while some athletes have to work to keep the positive attitude at the forefront, others have a natural tendency to be positive. When junior Rhett Boyd was asked if he was nervous for his upcoming lifts, his answer was a quick “nah” and a quick prediction of what he was hoping to lift.
“I don’t know, probably a total of like 1,100 pounds total,” Boyd said. “Something like that.”
For the coaches, seeing kids achieve their goals, whether their challenges be mental or physical, is the best part of the job. Coach Cam said it was her favorite part of the job.
“Seeing the kids succeed and build their confidence up, especially the freshmen,” Camden said.
The Buffalo team hosted a meet last night and competed at Leon a couple of weeks ago. The boys will compete in Leon next week. For the Buffalo meet, Maylene Caceres took first in her weight class and Camdyn Evans took second in hers. Caden Williams and Rhett Boyd both took second in their weight classes and Carson Avriett took third in his.
