Topic: News & Pics: Kailee Porter - Power In A Small Package

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Power Comes In Small Package
Local weightlifters making noise on international level At 5-foot, 103 pounds, Kailee Porter is No. 1 nationally in her weight class.
By Justin McMillin

Looking at Kailee Porter, "weightlifter" is not the first thing to come to mind.

"Usually people think I'm a cheerleader or a gymnast," she said. "Everyone is always so surprised and they can't believe I'm a weightlifter. I always get the 'you are so small' routine."

Small in stature, perhaps, but not in success.

The 5-foot, 103-pound junior from Nixa High School has blossomed into one of the country's best 17-and-under weightlifters. She placed fifth in the USA Weightlifting Pan American Sub 17 Championships in Ecuador last month and won the gold medal at the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Virginia Beach, Va., in August.

She ranks No. 6 nationally in the School Age division and is No. 1 in her weight class.

Porter fell into the sport.

When Porter walked into the St. John's Sports Medicine HealthTracks Training Center in November 2004, it was for guidance on improving her other passion, cross-country running, and dealing with a lingering case of shin splints. But Greater Springfield Community Olympic Development Program weightlifting coaches Brandon Ezzell and Scott Johnson immediately took notice.

"Both of us kind of stood back the day she came in and thought the same thing right away," Ezzell said. "She was the right age, had the right body stature and a competitive nature. From the first time she worked out, she had great positions and she learned things really well."

At competitions, weight-lifters perform two different lifts. In the snatch, the lifter lifts the bar and weights from the ground to his waist to over his head. In the clean and jerk, the lifter lifts the weight from the ground to the shoulders to over his head.

Porter's career bests are 47 kilos (103 pounds) in the snatch and 60 kilos (135 pounds) in the clean and jerk.

Porter has real potential, her coaches say. Both believe she could make a run at the Olympics down the road.

Jeff Wittmer, a six-time national champion and alternate for the 2004 Olympic team who also trains at HealthTracks, believes she has such potential, too.

"She's off to a good start for lifting less than two years and she's beating girls that have been lifting a lot longer than she has," Wittmer said.

Porter continues to run cross country at Nixa, medaling in all four events she has competed in this fall. She qualified for the state meet last year and has hopes of returning.

"Running needs a lot of a core strength and I think the weightlifting has made my legs strong and increased my endurance," she said. "Everyone said that it would hurt my running, but it hasn't hurt so far."

Nixa cross country coach Gene Harmon said he has not seen the lifting take a physical toll, but he said a late start to the season because of the meet in Ecuador has her playing catch-up.

"Her times haven't been maybe quite as good as we had kind of hoped for," Harmon said. "I don't know that weight training has hurt. ... She brings a good work ethic to practice and sets a good example."

Porter has had nothing but support from those around her, she said. That includes Austin Kittleman, a senior and Porter's boyfriend of two years.

"We are always talking about the techniques she uses," he said. "I remember when she started doing it, she would show me new stuff all the time. I think it is really great for her and she's getting to see a lot of neat places and take advantage of a great opportunity."

Bruce Porter was not fazed when his baby girl announced she wanted to be a weightlifter.

"I wasn't surprised at all," he said. "She is always wanting to try new things and I knew that she would have success."

Her mother, Kerri Gibson, agreed.

"I just said, 'Go for it, honey,' " she said. "She is very dedicated and goes after everything as hard as she can. What mom wouldn't be proud?"

Want To Be A Weightlifter?

What: The Springfield Community Olympic Development Program weightlifting program is run out of St. John's HealthTracks Training Center, 4331 S. Fremont.

Who: Boys and girls age 11-18

Cost: $20 per month, plus other possible expenses

Information: Call 820-5010, ask for coaches Brandon Ezzell or Scott Johnson

The Kailee Porter File

Age: 17

School: Nixa High School

Competitive division: School Age (Under 17)

National rank: No. 6 overall, No. 1 at 46 kilos (100 pounds)

Major accomplishments: Won 2006 School Age National Championship, won 2006 AAU Junior Olympics, fifth at 2006 Pan American Sub 17 Championships, fifth at 2005 American Open