Setting goals senior year is normal for most athletes, but after suffering an injury last year at the end of the season, senior Cardecia “CeCe” Franklin plans to beat the deadlift record this year and advance to the state competition. Last year CeCe qualified for the regional powerlifting meet after suffering a hamstring injury during track, the week before.

Beads of sweat break out across their brow. Their jaws are clenched as each second ticks by until they are clear. The judge signals that it was a clean lift and they drop the bar to the ground with a resounding crash. Seniors Kaywin McCall and Mark Vavra work day in and day out to perfect the craft of powerlifting and push themselves further than they ever thought possible.

What do you think of when you hear the word, “Crossfit”? Do you think, “that sounds hard” or “those people are crazy”, or “you’ll get hurt doing Crossfit”? What if I were to tell you those are all true. It is hard, most crossfitters are crazy for challenging their bodies and for pushing themselves to the absolute max, and there is a chance of getting hurt if you don’t take the time to learn proper form and body mechanics. Crossfit consists of constantly varied movements performed at a high intensity level. All crossfit workouts are based on a mixture of weightlifting, gymnastics, running, rowing, and more. Crossfit is for every age group, and all workouts can be modified to fit any fitness level or disability. Crossfit can also be extremely beneficial to any high school athlete looking for the edge on their opponent.

While most high school sports are characterized by the cheering fans or screeching whistles, sports like powerlifting are often overshadowed. Powerlifting is a unique sport in which athletes compete in weightlifting competitions in the squat, bench, and deadlift. Junior Shelbie Walker is an example of a student athlete demonstrating her potential in the realm of powerlifting.

When pushed to the limits of their abilities, many students would simply give up and walk away. Junior Michael Cadena is not like most students. When faced with a challenge, he pushes himself as hard as he can, and then a little harder. Michael is active in several sports, including football, wrestling, and track, and while he does well in all, he excels in arguably the hardest of all - powerlifting. Michael is one of the best powerlifters on campus, as well as the state.