The Idaho Lifters Day.....tomorrow

As I wrap this up tonight along with checking emails from work I also worked on the opening attempts and lifting strategy for my 2 lifters, Kenzie Hower, a 19 year old 90 kilo Junior lifter and Jesse Norris, a 17 year old 82.5 kilo lifter on the Sub-Junior team.

No matter what happens tomorrow, I have to say that I am very proud of both of them for being here.  Most of you that might read this have no idea (except you parents) of what these 2 kids have done over the past year to prepare for tomorrow.....as both of them started this journey when we caught our plane home last year from Brazil after the 2009 Championships.  The 3 of us talked on the way home about what each needed to do to prepare themselves for tomorrow.

A week later we were in the gym writing out new goals and plans to achieve them so that tomorrow could happen.  Kenzie started college, Jesse started his junior year in high school and of course during the process life got in the way many times, but it never diminished the drive they have had to maintain to show up to the weight room 3-4 days a week, go to work, go to school, back in the weight room, go to work, save money, do another fundraiser, start a new lifting cycle, go to a meet just so each of them could qualify to be here...and when they arrived at those meets to lift, they had to win.  In Idaho we only get a couple of opportunities for powerlifting meets.  Usually one state meet and then the national events.  So basically Kenzie and Jesse have 1 or 2 opportunities to get their chance at tomorrow.  They always have to be their best on those days.

I am not taking anything away from the other lifters on this American team and yes I know all of the kids here have had to do special things to be here as well, that's what makes this trip each year so worth it for us coaches....we live with these kids in the weight room and watch them give up other things, other fun, to get back to this event.

But this post is for my 2 kids, the 2 kids that I live with almost each and every Saturday.  (just ask my wife :))The 2 kids that I either email or facebook or chat or text with multiple times each week to make sure they are still focused on tomorrow.  And they have been; for 365 days Kenzie and Jesse have been focused on tomorrow.  Both have grown tremendously as lifters and ambassadors for the USA and as individuals.  I can't say enough how ready each of them are for tomorrow.

If I do my job right tomorrow both of them will do what they need to do to reach the goals we set for this event over 6 months ago.  The 3 of us know what the other needs to do to successfully accomplish the end  of this year's journey.

 Being here in the Czech Republic is not the end, being here was expected....tomorrow is the end of this journey for these 2 athletes, for these 2 students of this sport, for these 2 kids of mine and I am so glad to be here with them to take part in another small piece of their journey and I want to thank you parents that allow me to share this moment with your kids.  :)