The mental image many people have of female athletes is changing.
It wasn’t very long ago that girls who wanted to take part in high school athletics had to play basketball, run track, swim or play slow-pitch softball. But those days are long gone.
Now, girls play fast-pitch softball, soccer, tennis, golf and even turn up on football teams.
A relatively new activity for girls and one that has gained in popularity in recent years, particularly in Lake and Sumter counties, is weightlifting. The sport is now a sanctioned competition by the Florida High School Athletic Association, including a state championship tournament in February at the Kissimmee Civic Center.
On Wednesday, Mount Dora traveled to South Lake for a match filled with the same determination and drive as their male counterparts will exhibit in the spring. The Eagles weight room was filled with competitors and supporters, as lifters from both teams worked toward establishing new standards for themselves.
Gillian Klingensmith, a sophomore at Mount Dora, was competing in her third meet. Her total weight in the bench press and clean-and-jerk on Wednesday was 75 pounds, and it was enough to leave her pleased and ready for her next outing.
She learned about the weightlifting team from a teacher and decided to give it a try when she found out some of her friends were involved.
“I had never even lifted a weight until about a month ago, but I really enjoy doing it,” Klingensmith said. “It makes me feel strong, and I can feel myself getting better whenever I lift. For me, at least, it’s rewarding and relaxing.”
Klingensmith said weightlifting offered an opportunity to be involved in a sport without running, which she dislikes.
Mount Dora coach Jason Guido, in his first year as Hurricanes head coach after serving as an assistant last year, said a number of his weightlifters joined the team for reasons similar to Klingensmith’s.
Three dozen girls turned out for the team’s first meeting of the season, but that soon whittled its way down to about 24 lifters who compete in 10 different weight classes, ranging from 101 pounds to unlimited.
“Some of our girls compete in other sports, and they use the weightlifting team as a way to get themselves in shape,” Guido said. “Then there are others, like Gillian, who wanted to compete in an athletic environment. They came out to team meetings and watched some workouts. When many of the girls see what its all about, any nervousness they have goes away and they can’t wait to get started.
“It’s a lot of fun.”
Klingensmith said she has already decided to compete again for Mount Dora next season. She’ll continue working to improve her weight totals and raise her expectations.
“I’m already better than I was at the start of the year,” Klingensmith said. “I can’t wait to see what I’ll be like next year.”
Courtesy of: Daily Commercial
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