Being an athlete is something that takes commitment. Not everyone finds that one sport that drives them to be the best at everything they do. I can honestly say that I have. Powerlifting has been such a fabulous influence in my life. I've never been able to belong to such a sport as I have with this one. Powerlifting is a self-sport, so that means your main competition is you! You have to rely on yourself to train hard to be able to reach those big goals you have set. Not only that, but you must discipline yourself to constantly prepare your body for battle. That includes watching your weight, training on a regular schedule, having the proper gear, and deciding what numbers you want to hit before your next competition. I know some people think powerlifting is boring and it takes too much effort, but that is the beauty of it. Powerlifting is so incredible to me because of how fascinating it is to see how much you and your body have improved. It seems like a dream when you are finally able to lift an amount of weight that two weeks or so ago you couldn't even move off of the ground. The adrenaline rush of hitting that goal at a competition is what I train and live for.

Powerlifting has been a part of my life ever since my freshman year of high school. When people ask me how I got into it, I simply cannot answer. I always say the first thing that comes to mind, "I just heard about it and decided I wanted to try it." And that is exactly what happened. I tried it and I managed to make the team. Ever since then, it has been such a crazy, roller coaster love affair. I've won many awards and also missed out on a few. But that is all a part of it. You win some and you lose some. I've lifted with so many different people, and some of my competitors became some of my really good friends! I've been to many different schools and met really cool judges, even! Meeting lifters and judges that genuinely want others to do well and root for them are my favorite people. For the most part, I would say powerlifting can be considered a friendly sport (at least with some of the girls. I doubt the guys are friendly towards each other!). It can be dangerous, but when you are surrounded by people who care about you and cheer for you, you don't even worry about it.

Powerlifting has taught me several things. For one, it has taught me that no matter what, God always has your back. He has blessed me with a strong body that has not been hurt during the high school years. I pray I continue to stay this healthy and strong through my college years of lifting competitively. And even if you do get hurt, everything happens for a reason. We can't question God's plan. I've also learned that lifting isn't just about being strong. It is about promoting wellness and learning things about your body that you may not have known before. And finally, I've learned that your team is your family. I couldn't always see that, but being a part of the Tech Power Lifting team has really opened my eyes. I may not talk to every single person on the team, but I have quickly made friends who love this sport just as much as I do. We stick together and root for each other. That's the way it should always be. I can't imagine my life without power lifting. I think I would be lost if I could never lift again. I thank God every day for leading me to this and for keeping me in the game. I have truly found myself in power lifting.