And They’re Off! Records fall at Charger Regional

Records fell at the 2023 Charger Regional, which officially kicked off the Illinois High School Powerlifting Association (IHSPLA) season on February 28th at Stagg High School in Palos Hills. Brian Buglio (Meet Director) hosted one of the largest meets in regional competition. More than 100 lifters from Lockport, Marist, Romeoville, Sandburg, and Stagg High Schools competed in the annual Charger Regional.

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IHSPLA History & the Tiger Regional

By Jim Davis, Ed.M., MA, RSCC*D I was sitting in a folding chair in the basement of the YMCA in Niles, Illinois. 23 at the time, I’d been powerlifting alongside my football career. Strength played a major role in my life and it was now a competitive sport for me. I trained hard for this…

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A Dietitian’s Guide to Cost-Effective Road Snacks for Athletic Performance

By: Daniel Vela, BS & Christina Chu, MS, RD, LDN One of the largest contributors to athlete performance is proper fueling, which includes consuming balanced meals, choosing the right snacks, and adequate hydration. This can be overwhelming for youth and college athletes when considering cost, time, and making the right choices around proper fueling. On…

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NSCA Adds High School Track to National Conference

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is the hub of strength and conditioning in the United States. Founded in 1978, the NSCA is home to more than 60,000 members and certified coaches. S&C continues to expand. There are nearly 27,000 high schools in the United States. Strength programs, and strength coaches, are being added daily. The need is clear.

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Toss the Trophies (from Bedrock Edu.)

Wait. Don’t toss the trophy… The title is a misnomer. Trophies are awesome. Goals are essential and when they are accomplished, they should be celebrated. In sports, it comes in the form of a trophy or a ring, in business it might be a bonus or promotion. Celebrate the milestones, you’ve earned it. When the celebration is over, take time to frame the experience. That is, tell the story of what just happened. Work to understand the process that led to the outcome and find joy in that process.

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Westtown Throwdown

By Chris Dertz On Saturday, December 10th, over 50 high school students representing five area schools gathered at Golder College Prep in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood for a powerlifting meet. Golder College Prep, the newest member school of the Illinois High School Powerlifting Association (IHSPLA), hosted the aptly named Westtown Throwdown. Coach Martin Quiroga, the…

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High-Performance Nutrition: Choose Foods that Rot and Spoil!

As an athlete, have you ever wondered “what should I eat?” or as a coach, have you been asked the same question?

Pro and elite athletes come to the Chicago-based sports nutrition consulting firm SportFuel seeking answers to the most detailed sports nutrition questions—the tip of the iceberg, the top of the pyramid, the ultimate fine-tuning. They’re looking for the best practices for fuel timing, the perfect pre-game meal or snack, what to eat during activity, what to have afterwards for optimal recovery, or what to eat to gain or lose weight.

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IHSPLA State Meet and Diaper Drive

On Saturday, May 28th, more than 200 student-athletes representing 20 Chicago-area high schools gathered at New Trier High School in Northfield for the Illinois High School Powerlifting Association’s (IHSPLA) 2022 State Meet. The State Meet is the culminating event of the IHSPLA powerlifting season. During the 2021-2022 season, regional meets were held at several high school campuses. The top performing teams then received bids to send lifters to compete at the state meet.

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Gravity Defied at IHSPLA Warrior Regional

Spectators and competitors moved in unison to the middle of the McHenry Community High School Upper campus weight room. Logyn Frappoly, a McHenry senior, took her place under a barbell; a barbell that was loaded with 365lbs. This would be Logyn’s 3rd and final squat attempt at the Warrior Regional Powerlifting Meet. A successful lift would give Logyn a perfect 3/3 on her squat attempts. Even more importantly, a good lift would earn Logyn yet another spot in the Illinois High School Powerlifting Association’s (IHSPLA) record book as the heaviest squat ever completed by a female lifter in the 181lbs weight class. The crowd was mostly quiet as Logyn shouldered the load. As soon as she unracked the weight, cheers filled the weight room as teammates, competitors, and spectators yelled and screamed encouragement. She began her descent

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Always Building

There are two ways to create the tallest building in town. One can spend all their time and energy tearing down the buildings around them, or one can focus on making their building the tallest. The value of the two final products will be vastly different.

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