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 “Our team is unstoppable!” Power Lifting Vice-President Samantha Baker exclaims, and the fact is their record backs her bold statement up.
In just the past two years, the club has earned two national championships—the combined men and women team winning one in 2007 and the women in 2008—as well as a plethora of other awards (Men placed fourth this past year and first the year prior).
The team is about to prove itself again. The USA Powerlifting Collegiate Nationals will be held right here in Baton Rouge March 27 – 29. Forty different universities will vie for the title of champion, but only one will emerge victorious. The competition will be held at the Family Christian Academy gymnasium located on 8919 World Ministry Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70810.
Results such as these don’t come without a strong sense of dedication and a passion for the age-old sport of power lifting. As Baker points out, the team “concentrate[s] on eating, sleeping, and lifting,” and through this ardent loyalty they’ve managed to put up consistent and fantastically Herculean numbers both on the scoreboard and on the ends of their barbells.
Aside from practicing like the lost spirit of Sampson has come down and invaded their bodies, a major factor in the team performing so well is the camaraderie felt among them all. As Baker puts it, “This is more than a team; it is a family.”
Through the family aspect and dedication of the championship-winning the team’s earned itself respect through a self-starting, responsible attitude both in and out of the gym. In all aspects of life, the lessons learned while pumping iron become tangible and important. The strength gained in power lifting is not only in body but also in mind and spirit by “cut[ing] out everything that can alter your path or cause you to fail.”
 And perhaps the best part of all? Anyone can join. Baker says, “If you have a passion for lifting weights and are naturally competitive, this sport is for you.”
And it really is. Take Baker’s personal story for instance: She was a cheerleader in high school, something that used her natural strength in a positive way. Her coach mentioned power lifting to her, but she had eyes set on being a LSU cheerleader. After just missing the cut for the LSU team, she decided to try out power lifting as had been suggested and she “never looked back.”
“It was one of those one-door-closes-so-another-one-opens kind of thing,” Baker, who recently won “best female lifter” at the University Cup says. “I am so happy the ways things turned out, I wouldn’t trade this team or this sport for the world.”
Baker is not the only team member to recently earn a medal. Three women went to the IPF world competition in South Africa, where Jenna Farek and Leigh Arnold both took gold medals and Pam Bartz brought a silver home to America.
“We are so proud of them, they worked so hard all summer and truly deserved it,” Baker says.
The team will be competing this weekend. The competition will be held Family Christian Academy gymnasium so come on out. The team will be recruiting as well as competing, and they hope to see you there.
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