CEDAR HILL, TX – Nine Cedar Hill High School Powerlifters (Six Girls and Three Boys) qualified for their respective State Meets last month.
Both the Boys & Girls State Meets were canceled due to the COVID-19 situation.
“For the four seniors who qualified for State, it’s been extremely difficult,” Cedar Hill Powerlifting head coach Damon Page said. “Last year, after the state meet for boys & girls, we set some goals and we were on track to do what we set out to do. We understand the situation, but we’re not going to get this time back for these kids.”
Each scholar-athlete does the squat, bench and deadlift. The sum of all three lifts determines their score.
Here are the State Qualifiers:
Cedar Hill GIRLS:
Senior Gia’Nah Sparks
Senior Talia Barnes
Junior Zaria Green
Senior Erynn George
Jamari Nathan-Woods
Junior Cayla Harris
Cedar Hill BOYS:
Senior Leon Young
Junior Kevin Young
Sophomore Tre’Von Barrett
Page, a Mathematics Teacher and the Cornerbacks Coach for the CHHS Football, completed his first season as Longhorn Powerlifting Head Coach, succeeding the late Stephen Hafford. He was an Assistant Powerlifting Coach the previous two years.
Sparks won the Girls Regional Championship in the 105-pound division last month at Prosper High School, and Leon Young took first place in the 242-pound division at the Boys Regional Meet at Keller Central High School. He will attend McNeese State University in Louisiana on a football scholarship this fall.
Barrett was the only sophomore state qualifier, lifting 850 pounds in the 114-pound division.
The entire CHHS Football Team lifts weights during the offseason program. Some of the players compete in the various Powerlifting Competitions. A total of 28 girls compete on the Girls Powerlifting Team.
“Powerlifting provides a lot of benefits to scholar-athletes who compete in all sports,” Page said.
As a member of the football staff, Page has seen first-hand the value of powerlifting to football.
“More than anything, it’s the mentality,” Page said. “It translates from mental and physical aspects. When practices are longer, your body is tired and the weather is colder, you have to make a decision. It’s the same thing in powerlifting.”
Despite the disappointment of his scholar-athletes missing the opportunity to compete at their respective State Meets, Page is hopeful for Kevin Young, Green, Nathan-Woods, Harris and Barrett in 2021
“They can all qualify for State again,” Page said. “We also have some kids that didn’t make Regionals who are really good and could be poised to go to State next year.”
