Full Circle

This isn’t a sob story, nor is it a pity party. I just want to shed a little light on where I’ve come from and what it has taken for me to get to where I am.

In 8th grade, I lost my ability to walk. It wasn’t permanent but it was for a full week and every 3-4 days for the next 6 months. I just woke up one morning and couldn’t walk. To make this short I was diagnosed 2 days before my 15th birthday with Post Strep Reactive Arthritis. Doesn't sound that rough, but trust me. It was.

Two months later the day before my first soccer game back, during practice I Salter IV fractured my tibia. I was on crutches for quite some time after this.
Where I am going with this is, being able to do something as simple as walk shouldn’t be taken for granted. I was able to get myself back on the soccer field my junior year. I can honestly say that this was mostly due to a former Blast player Jeff Dresser. He trained me back into playing shape during my sophomore year. I don’t think Jeff knows how much I appreciate the things he did for me.

In October 2008 I started training. If you go back to my first blog post you can see the story more in depth. But over the last 2 years a few months I have gone from fat and weak to leaner and stronger.

I think if you ask anyone I train with right now I don’t sell myself short but I don’t think I am as strong as I am. No I am not a drug free junkie, I just want to do it. 700lbs isn’t the end for me. I have told very few people this, but I want to squat 1000lbs drug free. I plan on competing in the APF/AAPF meet in Kalamazoo, Michigan this coming August. My goals are going to be 850-900lb squat, ~500 bench press, and a 650lb deadlift. Yeah, you read that right. A long way from my 425/255/450 of May 2009. Some may say there is no way but with 23 weeks to prepare and my training crew and supportive backbone of friends and family I’m going for it. I hope to go to AAPF Nationals next year and dominate.

Powerlifting has done more for me than any one person could. It really has given me my lift back. I hope to continue my climb up the ranks and one day have a few records.

I just want to say thank you very much to everyone that has supported me. To those that hate or in the past have told me I was weak or that I was “soft” jokes on you. =)


Little Stevie