Pekin Daily Times, IL
06-19-07
New location of powerlifting a welcome change
By Steve Robinson
Times correspondent
NORMAL - From the first time it came into being nearly two decades ago, the
powerlifting competition at the Special Olympics Illinois State Games had
contestants and spectators jammed into one of two ends of 45-year-old Horton
Field House.
Contestants and spectators alike contended with reverberating noise, heat and
crammed conditions.
But as of last Friday, those circumstances are a thing of the past, as the
competition moves this year to the comforts of Stroud Auditorium at University
High School, an air-conditioned, 900-seat facility, complete with a stage and
sound system.
U-High is just one block north of Horton Field House.
“(The move) was inspired by (being at) Special Olympics National Games (last
July),” said Katie Herriott, area director for Area 6 Heartland Special Olympics,
which includes Pekin, along with Tazewell, Mason and McLean counties.
Special Olympics' National Games were held on the Iowa State University
campus in Ames, Iowa last July. The powerlifting competition took place in an
auditorium setting there, prompting this first try at Stroud Auditorium.
“We're going to try to copy (what we saw at National Games),” Herriott said.
“We're going to try to copy (that model) a little bit, to make it bigger and better.
“Moving it will give them their own stage, there will be screens (to see results). I
was there a couple of days ago,” Herriott said. “It looked really nice. It will be a
good set-up.”
Julie Smith, director of sports and competition for SOI, added that it was not just
National Games, but seeing how powerlifting was handled at World Games
events conducted by Special Olympics, and hoping such a change would work if
used at State Games.
Smith said she was able to make contact with those in charge of organizing the
powerlifting set-up at last year's National Games, and got plenty of counsel as to
how to proceed with the change.
“With all of our events, we are always looking to find ways to improve the quality
of the event,” Smith said. “The most important thing in our minds is the
opportunity that the athletes have and the quality of that opportunity.
“Anytime we have the chance to make a competition or a venue better, we're
going to do that,” Smith said.
Friday, female contestants in both the bench press and powerlifting competition
got to try the new digs first.
On Saturday, the two-man tandem in Bill Hopkins and Aaron Schaumleffel, both
Pekin, along with head coach Larry Needham, got their chance to experience the
new surroundings.
They made the most of the new opportunity, beginning with the bench press
competition, in which Schaumleffel scored on weights of 140 and 155 pounds but
could not press 160 pounds. But having already beat his previous best of 130
pounds, earning a bronze medal did not bother him.
“I think the change, coming (to Stroud Auditorium) gives competitors the feel of
what it's like at (Special Olympics') International Games or World Games,” said
Larry Needham, head coach of the powerlifting team for Tri-County
Independents.
When it came to deadlifting, Schaumleffel was able to earn a gold medal as
roughly 300 people sat in the auditorium clapping and cheering. He lifted weights
of 280 and 330 pounds on his first two tries, and equaled a personal best of 340
pounds on his last try, thus earning a gold medal there, as well.
Hopkins pressed weights of 225, 240, and 255 pounds, earning a gold medal.
And although he has a previous personal best of deadlifting 500 pounds, on
Saturday, he managed to deadlift weights of 300 and 350 pounds, before failing
to hoist 400 pounds. He also came away with a gold medal in his division.
To get to state, Hopkins dead-lifted 300 pounds, while Schaumleffel dead-lifted
40 pounds more than that in an area competition.