Topic: News:Girls High School Weightlifting Grows Strong in Florida

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Girls High School Weightlifting Growing in Florida
By Eric Pfahler

Five Treasure Coast schools reached the regional volleyball tournament. Of those, four offer girls weightlifting as a sport.

Maybe that's not a coincidence, Sebastian River athletic director Michael Stutzke said.

"Absolutely, and that's one of the reasons we have it," he said.

Sebastian River is one of a growing number of state and area high schools with a girls weightlifting team, and often, participation in the sport is driven by girls who want to train for other sports.

"It gives the girls another opportunity," Fort Pierce Central athletic director Jay Stewart said. "It kind of balances our offerings.

"It's a way to help kids keep in shape, so I think it's a win-win situation."

There are 171 schools listed by the Florida High School Athletic Association that either have or are adding girls weightlifting this season. Sebastian River, Martin County, Jensen Beach and St. Edward's are the area schools that offer girls weightlifting and also made a regional volleyball appearance. Fort Pierce Central, Port St. Lucie and Treasure Coast High School will offer the sport this year for the first time, and South Fork also has a program.

St. Lucie West Centennial athletic director John Messina, who served as the Jensen Beach baseball coach last year, said he would like to add the sport next season.

"We had it over at Jensen Beach, and it worked out real well," Messina said.

Girls weightlifting has been recognized by the FHSAA since 2002, but it is not a sanctioned sport. Basketball and soccer are the only two FSHAA-sanctioned winter sports for girls, though girls also are allowed to compete on high school wrestling teams.

The weightlifting provides female student athletes with a chance to improve their skills for other sports, said Marty Bielicki, the Martin County girls weightlifting and volleyball coach.

"We believe that if you're going to make that next step, you need to lift weights year-round," Bielicki said. "We try to have our girls work out at least twice a week."

But teams must overcome stereotypes, which often disappear once a girl enters the gym, Jensen Beach volleyball and girls weightlifting coach Mike Sawtelle said. Sawtelle spent time as a trainer and served as West Virginia University's strength coach after receiving a degree in physical health and safety.

"The girls themselves think that weightlifting will make them big and bulky and burly," Sawtelle said. "That's not the case. If people knew anything about how weightlifting affects the male and female body, they'd understand that it has nothing to do with that."

That doesn't stop athletes from hearing an occasional comment, said Jessie Kubiak, a volleyball player and girls weightlifter for the Falcons.

"They all like to make fun of you," Kubiak said. "They're like, 'Oh God, don't mess with Jessie. She can beat you up.' I was like, 'Whatever, you know I can.' "

Weightlifting also is a less expensive way for schools to become more Title IX compliant. Girls weightlifting teams often compete in only four regular season meets, and with most schools already having weight rooms, uniforms become the biggest cost for a school while offering an opportunity for several females to compete. Port St. Lucie hopes to have 30 participants this year, athletic director Danny Ninestine said. Some sports cost about $200 per participant, whereas weightlifting -- boys or girls -- costs about $50 per participant, Martin County athletic director Greg Hendricks said.

But challenges remain for new programs. Getting participants is not always easy, John Carroll athletic director Joe Paschal said.

"We tried to do boys and girls weightlifting," Paschal said. "It didn't take off, it got worse.

"We might not even have had one girl come out."

But that doesn't mean the John Carroll girls volleyball team, which reached the regional semifinals this season, doesn't have girls in the weight room.

"If you look at great athletes, they've spent some time working out," Bielicki said.

Treasure Coast schools that have girls weightlifting this season:

Jensen Beach

St. Edward's

Sebastian River

Martin County

Port St. Lucie

Treasure Coast

Fort Pierce Central

South Fork