Photos by Jim Ridolphi
At left: The Confederates’ Travis Stallings competes on the bench during the first annual Push-Pull competition at Lee-Davis High School.
With football season looming right around the corner, Lee-Davis head coach Jason Meade wanted his players ready when the gun sounds this fall. Last week, players from his Confederates’ squad and teams from Thomas Dale and Douglas Freeman competed in the first annual Push-Pull competition at Lee-Davis High School.
The event was sponsored by Virginia Powerlifting and Lee-Davis offered athletes a unique opportunity to get in some friendly competition before the fall hitting actually begins. Teams competed in bench and dead-lift events.
“This is important for two reasons,” said Meade. “In football, there’s always that lull at the end of spring where kids can’t see long term that all this is important. Second, it’s good competition to let the kids compete in the weight room as well as the field.”
Meade said the summer conditioning program begins in earnest June 16, but his kids have been working steadily all year. “On June 16, we’ll have all the kids from Stonewall, all of our soccer, track and baseball kids will be with us 100 percent,” he said.
And the coach expects them to show up ready. “The work ethic is something we’re trying to instill year round.”
The team begins actual football practice Aug. 11.
Steve and Judy Wood organized the even for Virginia Powerlifting and sponsor similar events throughout the country. Although this year’s event drew teams from three schools, the couple said they hope the popularity will increase over the years.
“Steve and Judy did an unbelievable job setting this up for Virginia Powerlifting,” Meade said. “They did all the work setting up the gym.”
“Coach Meade approached us about putting on a competition among the football teams in the region and we just ran with it,” Judy said. “We’ve been trying to do this for years and get all the high school teams together for a competition. This one of our passions.”
Meade said invitations were extended across the region for the event and expects more competitors will take advantage next year. “We’re going to do this every year and we expect more teams will compete next year,” Meade said. “I’m just happy Thomas Dale and Freeman were on board from day one for this one.”
Meade is getting a little anxious as his first year of coaching football at Lee Davis approaches. “The kids are working hard. They’re great young men. We’re going to be successful here at Lee Davis.”
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