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USAPL President Micheal W. Overdeer |
President's Message
August 2001
In many ways, the sport of Powerlifting is on the cusp of larger recognition. Just as it has grown through the grass roots of strength sports since the 1960's, it continues to build momentum through it's increasing presence in our nation's secondary schools and universities. The first generation of students exposed to Power/weight lifting classes are now adults. Even before them, the first generation of competing powerlifting athletes, now have children of their own coming up in the sport. Adding to this mixture is the fact that master ranks are swelling, as the veteran lifters stay longer in the sport as a part of their competitive, and healthy lifestyle. There is no doubt that powerlifting is growing at both ends of the spectrum. Why? Because of it's appeal as the purest form of strength training, with all of the accompanying lifestyle benefits, simply cannot be denied. Whether a young basketball player is seeking to increase his/her vertical leap, or a master lifter is seeking to maintain strength, bone density and healthier joints - there is no substitute for the purity and simplicity of the powerlifting movements.
At the risk of drawing fire more for a lack of research, and gathering instead from observation and practical experience (empirical evidence?), It seems worthy to note that powerlifters exercising a drug free lifestyle seem to suffer less from the aging process than their colleagues. Have you ever heard someone remark how young a veteran powerlifter in their 40's, 50's, even 60's looks to them? Probably numerous times. In a sport which consistently taps, and develops, the body's ability to "break down and heal back stronger" - catabolism to anabolism - it seems reasonable to assert that the body's healing mechanisms become conditioned to a very high level through this process. Does this flow over into the body's abilities to fight disease processes? As a powerlifting athlete, what have your health experiences been like? This would be an interesting area of research. Regardless, young or old, athletes suffer less injury and enjoy greater competitive health and lifestyle benefits as a result of undertaking the powerlifting regimen with free weights.
A new generation is coming up into the sport, and their mark is being felt at all levels of competition. Never before have we had such strong representation from the Junior ranks on our Open World Teams. Their presence not only indicates a bright
Future for powerlifting, it also indicates a new attitude toward amateur sports. Having grown up through the expansion of the professional sports movement in our country, it has been extremely difficult to see the public's fascination with professional mega-dollar athletics continue to grow, while amateur sports like ours have had to fight tooth and nail to get even a little recognition. The honorability possessed by an athlete who has a career job, supporting family and lifestyle, and still devotes the discipline to attain excellence in a sport is an amazing thing. How awesome will it be if the next generation of powerlifting athletes re-opens the public's eyes to personal discipline, exellence and honor!
USA Powerlifting has been at the forefront of this movement since 1981, when Brother Bennet and his colleagues decided to form the American Drug Free Powerlifting Association. Their vision was to build accountability into the greatest of strength sports, so that it could be enjoyed by all generations, and not succumb to the freak show of a select few, who would seek to transcend normal human potentials with the use of drugs. They were right, and the vision became, and is still becoming, a reality. The wisdom gained from working toward long-term goals; of maximizing the personal gifts we each have through intelligent training, is beginning to permeate our athletic culture.
A unique and wonderful opportunity is at hand.
In August, USA Powerlifting will compete in it's first ever World Games Competititon. Second only to the Olympic Games, this competition, held in Akita City, Japan, is the current pinnacle event for Powerlifting in our world today. Only about 30 non-Olympic Sports have advanced to this high level. In conjunction with this, Powerlifting's application to become an Olympic Sport has been made through the IPF. Members of the IOC, and perhaps the new President of the IOC will be in attendance. The Japanese, who have been building their "World Games Machine" by hosting extravagant annual World Games Fairs over the past several years, project that approximately 260,000 spectators will attend these 2001 World Games Events. There will be extensive media and Television coverage of the events. Our job will be to present Powerlifting in the brightest possible light. Our sport has been recognized by Paralympics, Special Olympics and The International World Games Association, but still needs the mainstream recognition of the International Olympic Committee. Let's build some excitement! We can educate people about our greatest of strength sports, and get them to watch, listen and learn. Some, we will be able to introduce to the sport and get them participating. Others, perhaps will be able to help sponsor athletes, who are moving up through the levels of competition. Most of all, we need to light a fire in the eyes of the people we share life with, to give their attention and support to the greatest of amateur Strength Sports - POWERLIFTING!
Sincerely,
Michael W. Overdeer
President, USA Powerlifting
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USAPL Vice President
Larry Maile
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Vice President's Message
August 5, 2001
Vice President's Address
The beginning of my first full term as Vice President coincides with the third issue of Powerlines. I would like to take this opportunity to editorialize about our past, some of our current problems, and to hope for our future.
As you may recall, I assumed the duties of Vice President after the resignation of John Mathieu, who had served USA Powerlifting as Vice President, World Team Coach, and who remains as Maine State Chair. John's resignation reflects the sometimes painful transitions that we have gone through in our history: that of losing the services of many dedicated people who tire of the workload, reach the limits of their abilities, or move on to other areas of interest. As I look around me, there are still some individuals who remain who were members of the ADFPA when I joined in 1984, but, unfortunately, many more are no longer with us. Some, like Brother Bennet, Lee Gracie, Bill Decker, and many others have passed on. But others have limited their contributions, joined other federations, or have even become harmful to the Organization. Perhaps, there are a number of reasons why people become disillusioned with USAPL, but these are not reasons to engage in actions that are destructive to the character of members and officers, to international affiliations that are so hard won, and to the integrity of the programs many have worked so hard to initiate. To lose the positive contributions of some of our most prominent members only serves to limit our possibilities, and to make us less competitive in the marketplace. Make no mistake; the positive does not outweigh the negative. Those who work on our behalf, on the one hand, while encouraging destructive action on the other are not building our organization. They are threatening it. The atmosphere of paranoia that has been evident in over the past two years, as evidenced by allegations of malfeasance on the part of the executive only serves to undermine the confidence of the members, and of potential members in us. I believe it is time to move beyond this, and encourage all our membership to do the same.
In the coming year, the organization must evolve in terms of the way we do business. We really must choose whether we want to invest in new systems and processes, or continue the labor intensive business practices that have carried us this far. With recent votes of the NGB ( and I support those initiatives) to change our membership year and offer special high school memberships, the time spent manipulating information in the national office increases. Tasks that should be simple are made difficult and time consuming by outdated hardware and software. Our accounting processes were adequate for running a small business, but are inadequate for a larger operation. They must be revisited, and updated. Marsha has laid the groundwork for this, updating our accounting software. I mention these issues to ask your patience. Time spent preparing for the future uses the finite personnel resources we use for today. These tasks must be done if we are to continue to respond to the needs for quicker turnaround, more information, and more complete answers.
One of the areas that I believe that we must concentrate on in the coming years is fundraising. Our original charter does not easily include activities that directly generate funds. To do so would require a greater burden in terms of tax reporting. As a non-profit organization, engaging in activities that are similar to those of profit making enterprises brings with it similar requirements for tax filing. But without those activities, we will continue to have to rely on sales of memberships to support USAPL financially. And memberships are not always under our control. While we continue to take steps to bring lifters to USAPL, we face direct competition from organizations and individuals with a clear motive for profit. In short, they are in business, and are not obligated, nor do they desire to provide the services we do. Over the next year, we will examine ideas that generate income for USAPL, and the changes necessary (and those we are able to do) to allow them. We will very likely come back and ask your help to effect these changes, and to assist in fund raising should we be able to complete them.
Finally, it is a great concern that we enter the next business year without having a budget approved by the NGB. Given the tenor of prior complaints, at least by some members, the E.C. is likely to face a situation in which it is not possible to escape unscathed. We take the mandate of our Governing Body very seriously. Prior year mandates have included investigation of a renewed newsletter, and balancing our budget. We have done those things, and will pass a budget that both covers our day to day operations, and holds the line on costs. We will generate a budget that continues to keep us on a sound fiscal path, but as costs rise and income remains level, cuts must be made. I would encourage you to support those measures, and to offset them as best you are able: through recruiting members, holding competitions, and assisting others in these activities.
Finally, I must comment on the outlook for maintaining our stance on drug testing and keeping our platform free from those who use strength increasing substances which are banned by our international affiliate, and the International Olympic Committee. While we are yet members of the Olympic family, we accept their standard in identification of banned substances, and, as much is possible within our internally financed testing program, follow their procedures. Over the past several years, and coincident with the proliferation of over the counter steroids, we have faced a number of challenges to our testing program. We subscribe to the guiding spirit of the Olympic movement, which states that athletes are responsible for what they place in their bodies. That is not an equivocal statement. They set a standard, and when it is exceeded, a lifter may not compete. We do too. Several individuals have suggested that we generate a series of exceptions for testing thresholds for specific substances. It must be understood that we test for those substances, and at the levels defined by the Olympic Medical Committee. We are not able, nor are we capable of enforcing a flexible standard or leading the doping control community in establishing standards and procedures for testing. Our platform must remain as clean as we can make it. Granting exceptions based on the reported motivations of the individuals involved, or specific knowledge, or lack thereof only will increase the possibility that YOU will lift against a competitor that does not meet our drug testing standard. Each drug testing failure is a tragedy, for the individual involved, and for USAPL. They lose the chance to compete in our organization, and we stand to lose their contribution. Success may be measured in, however, in the security that lifters have in competing on a level playing field. Everyone who continues to compete benefits.
As I close, I see thousands of hours of work ahead to make USAPL the organization it can be. Over the coming months, expect me to come asking for help in setting goals and completing projects. I hope you will jump in.
Larry
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