Topic: Please Introduce Yourself

[Rhys Lucero]

Name:Rhys Lucero
 
Age:27
 
Gender:M
 
Occupation:Personal Trainer  
 
Location:Florida
 
Team:Calpians
 
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?:I went to Hartwick College (Oneonta, NY), and I played soccer for Jim Lennox.  He told me I should use partial weightlifting movements and powerlifting movements to gain strength and speed.  I did the power clean, the back squat, and the dead lift.  Funny, as a personal trainer, I teach two out of three of these lifts as soon as possible in some way or another.  
 
Years involved in weightlifting:I have been competing for six years.
 
Athletic achievements:I have set personal records in numerous competitions.  Competed in several national level meets, won a few local competitions, bombed out once or twice, and won a bronze metal in the clean and jerk at nationals (the best for last).  I do consider bombing out an achievement, it's a hard lesson.  
 
Coaching/educational credentials:I have a M.S. in Human Movement Science from the University of Memphis.  On a personal note, I highly recommend their program.  I also have a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Washington.
 
Favorite weightlifter:It's hard to claim anyone before the king, Suley.  But I have favorites in every weight class. In the United States, the best lifters I have seen are Shane Hamman, Wes Barnett, and Oscar Chaplain III.  But I would consider Jeff Michaels 407.5 @ 110 to be the best total.    
 
Interests other than weightlifting:Everything really-

[Jonathan Macfarlane]

Name: Jonathan Macfarlane

Age: 18

Gender: Male

Occupation: HS senior

Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Team: School team

How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: A teacher at our school who had done 367.5 at 110 in the 70's called a meeting for those interested in Olympic weightlifting. I went to the first session with some old Eleiko bumpers and bar with the intention of increasing my explosiveness for shot putting. I did 60/70 my first session and competed 3 weeks later, and was promptly hooked.


Years involved in weightlifting: 1 and a half, but only about 9 months total really lifting and the last 2 months training mainly for weightlifting.

Athletic achievements: 101/140 at SHW. Ranked in top 2 nationally for weightlifting, shot put and hammer at age group level.

Role in weightlifting: Athlete

Coaching/educational credentials: Assistant school team coach in charge of intermediate lifters.

Favorite weightlifter: Velichko Cholakov and Jaber Salem

Interests other than weightlifting: Track and field, highland games, Christian theology and 80's rock

Other information you would like to share: I want to be as strong and fast as possible

 

[andy tysz]

Name: Andy Tysz

Age: 35

Gender: Male
Occupation: Athletic Development Coach

Location: Crown Point, IN

Team: Midwest Weightlifting

How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: Started weight training in high school for football, did a couple of weightlifting meets during this time.  Returned to weightlifting in graduate school and have kept with it ever since.

Years involved in weightlifting: about 9 years

Athletic achievements: Doesn't really matter

Role in weightlifting: coach and part-time athlete

Coaching/educational credentials: B.S. Physical Education, 30+hours of grad. work in Kinesiology....Regional Level Coach USAW

Favorite weightlifter: Pete Kelley and Nicu Vlad.  Their rhythm and smoothness of movement is poetry in motion

Interests other than weightlifting: reading history, gardening, understanding leadership and what is takes to be a man among the people.

Other information you would like to share:  what would you like to know?

[Ben Turner]

Name: Ben Turner

DOB: 23/01/1984

Gender: Male

Occupation: Strength & Conditioning & Weightlifting Coach

Location: Brisbane, Australia

Team: Queensland

How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: Checked out a local club after having an interest in the sport.

Years involved in weightlifting: Commenced in October 2000

Athletic achievements:

World Championships 2002-2003
Junior World Championships 2002-2004
Mermet Cup 2002-2004
National Champion 2002-2003
National Junior Champion 2001-2003
Oceania Championships 2002-2004
Junior Oceania Championships 2001-2004
 
Role in weightlifting: Athlete/Coach

Coaching/educational credentials: NCAS Level 2
 
Favorite weightlifter: Jaber Saeed Salem

Interests other than weightlifting:

Australian Rules Football, Cricket and Rugby Union.  These are all Aussie sports.


Other information you would like to share: Thanks to Chris LeRoux and other moderators and administrators for keeping this site up to date with all recent information and news regarding weightlifting.  Hands down, an awesome job!

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Name: Chris LeRoux
Age: 35
Gender: M
Occupation: Weightlifting and strength and conditioning coach, video editor, animator, dvd author, web designer
Location: St. Petersburg, FL USA
Team: Calpians

How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: I didn't want to ride the bus home from school. This is my freshman year of high school. A friend of mine had a car, but he lifted weights after school. So, I stayed after school to wait for him. It was lifting or homework, and I liked lifting. The weightlifting coach recruited me within a week. Florida is the only state in the Union that has weightlifting as a varsity high school sport, although it is the bench press and clean and jerk. I didn't start to learn the snatch for a year later, and that did inevitably hold me back some in the sport.

Years involved in weightlifting: 20

Athletic achievements: Multiple junior and senior American record holder; Bronze medal in clean and jerk in 1991 Junior Worlds, Three time senior national champion, Five time consecutive junior national champion

Role in weightlifting: athlete, coach, program administrator, and forum administrator.
Coaching/educational credentials: Masters degree in exercise and sport science, certified strength and conditioning specialist (NSCA), and USAW Regional Coach

Favorite weightlifter: Naim Suleymanoglu and Tim McRae

Interests other than weightlifting: exercise science, science, politics, history, Doctor Who, BattleStar Galactica, sci-fi, music, literature, ethics, religion, and all sports.

[Ivo Peychev]

Name: Ivo Peychev
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Occupation: analyst (health insurance company)
Location: Bulgaria
Team: I am not part of any WL team. I am just a fan of WL.
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?:  n.a.
Years involved in weightlifting: n.a.
Athletic achievements: n.a. :oops:
Role in weightlifting: Fan
Coaching/educational credentials: n.a.
Favorite weightlifter: Milen Dobrev
Interests other than weightlifting: boxing, fitness, music, movies, etc.
Other information you would like to share:

[Mark Kodya]

Name: Mark Kodya
Age: 43
Gender: M
Occupation: full time doctoral candidate
Location: Penn State (State College, PA)
Team: n/a
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: Was interested since the first time I saw wl-ing on Wide World of Sports. Began lifting in general when I was the only one of three friends unable to get a fifty pound barbell one of them had over my own head from the ground (we were all 12). Began to learn more about wl-ing rather than just lifting weights when I met Paul Dick and several other wl-ers back in mid 1980s.
Years involved in weightlifting: weightlifting - close to 20 years; lifting weights about 30 years
Athletic achievements: most have been in pl-ing: a state record bp at 242 in AAU; state championships at Junior, submaster, and master in USPF, AAU, IPA; sq was ranked in top 100 for 2002 at 220
Role in weightlifting: coach, ref, infrequent competitor, interested in the history of the sport
Coaching/educational credentials: Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science; Master of Arts Liberal Studies (concentration in sociohistorical aspects of sport; thesis on history of wl-ing)
Favorite weightlifter: Jim Bradford, Gary Deal, Ken Patera: Jim and Gary for class and character and in Gary's case overcoming adversity; Ken because he epitomized "strength athlete"
Interests other than weightlifting: history, archival administration, strength sports in general
Other information you would like to share:

[Joe Hanson]

Name:
Age: 41
Gender: M
Occupation: Owner of Athlete Development Center, inc.
Location: Jacksonville Florida
Team: Team Florida (Vice Pres. Team Florida Weightlifting)
How did you get started/involved in weightlifting?: I ran and swam forever as a Recon Marine.  I was weak as wet toilet paper though.  I found a PL USA magazine and started PLifting.  A fella in the gym was doing that "TV" lifting.  He was Preston Heuberger and I've been around Olympic barbells ever since.  Changed careers from Law Enforcement to education and coaching.
Years involved in weightlifting: 1990 was when I first got involved.
Athletic achievements: US Army Reserve Florida Student Athlete of the Year, Master's bronze medalist. Sunshine State Games Champion.
Role in weightlifting: I'm First Sergeant to Captain Lansky in Team Florida.  Rich Lansky is my hero and friend.  He is one of the finest human beings I've ever met.
Coaching/educational credentials: B.A. University of Florida, USAW Regional Coach
Favorite weightlifter: Robert Murphy
Interests other than weightlifting: History, Latin, Church
Other information you would like to share:
I'm a Born-again, Bible believing, knee-praying, Christian.  There is absolutely no foul language, underage drinking, drug-use, or vulgarity in my weightroom.  Remember that if you come visit. I pretty much invite anyone to come train with us when in Florida.