Blackfoot hosts Powerlifting Competition to help fundraise for new equipment
BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — Powerlifitng isn't as well known as a lot of high school sports, but more students are getting into the action and the local interest is growing.
Today in Blackfoot, the first event of the season was a fundraiser to help bring new equipment to the schools weight room.
In powerlifting, athletes test their maximum strength across three lifts. The squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. Each successful lift counts toward a combined total that determines placement.
Organizers say the meet gives a wider range of students the chance to compete, including those who may not participate in traditional school sports. This year would be the first ever sanctioned powerlifting meet to take place in a high school in the state of Idaho.
The competition also serves as a fundraiser for the School Strength program, which supports hundreds of students each day and relies on shared equipment to host events.
"We get a lot of kids, that play sports for the school, but then we get a lot of kids who don't play sports for the school, and it's an opportunity for them to compete and demonstrate their strength as well." said Geoff Roberts, the Strength Coach for Blackfoot High school.
For athletes, the platform is a chance to showcase years of training and measure progress in a sport built on discipline and consistency.
"I've been competing for a year, officially, but I've been lifting six years," said Kyler Sanders, a senior powerlifter who's on the football team. "I just like the competitiveness to it. I just like lifting. And it's just a way to come show everybody what I can lift."
As participation grows, organizers hope more students and the community discover the sport's impact both on and off the platform.
