By: Egan Guidroz '27

Powerlifting is a relatively new sport at Archbishop Chapelle, but it has quickly become a strong component of the community. Few outsiders to the team understand what goes on in the head of a lifter at a physically and mentally demanding competition. When you are facing a bar filled with more weight than you ever dreamed you could lift, victory requires more than muscle strength; it requires concentration, bravery, and confidence.

Before we get to the fun stuff, we need to understand what powerlifting is all about. Simply put, powerlifting is an Olympic-style competitive sport that focuses on “The Big Three”: bench press, squat, and deadlift. Each lifter has three attempts at each lift, and the objective is to record the highest total weight. To win, most lifters will start with about 75% of their best weight. For the second attempt, they increase closer to that weight. For the third and final lift, lifters put the maximum amount of weight they can succeed with. However, the simplicity behind the rules masks the true challenge: staying composed under the pressure of performance. 

The most crucial factor of this sport is invisible. Staying mentally strong and sharp in powerlifting is key to thriving. For teenage athletes, especially, the sport can feel overwhelming. Missing a lift or failing to set a new personal record can chip away at their confidence. Yet what makes Chapelle’s program unique is the strong sense of support among teammates and coaches. The lifters compete individually, but they never truly lift alone. One Chapelle athlete explained how important encouragement becomes when stepping up to the platform. When asked, what are some mantras or words of encouragement you tell yourself or your coaches tell you before you perform your lift? She replied, “That idea, channeling frustration into fuel, is central to the sport. A failed attempt isn’t the end; it’s a chance to come back stronger. Coaches like Coach Phil Maranto and Coach Don Duhe play a crucial role in maintaining that mindset. “ 

Another teammate looked back on a vital moment when she had a moment of self-doubt. In response to the question, Has there ever been a moment when you thought you could not lift the weight, but the fact that Coach Phil and Coach Don believed in you made you do it? She admitted, “ Moments like these show how belief, both in oneself and from others, can transform performance.” What might feel impossible at first suddenly becomes achievable when coaches and teammates remind the athlete that they don’t carry the weight alone. The Chapelle powerlifting team thrives on that culture of encouragement. Lifters push each other not just to meet numbers, but to break mental barriers. Confidence is built rep by rep, attempt by attempt, until lifters step off the platform knowing they gave it their all. 

For the Chapelle powerlifting team, it isn’t about who can lift the most; it’s about how much effort you put into your performance and how much you are giving yourself into the sport. In the end, powerlifting at Chapelle isn’t just about the plates on the bar. It’s about resilience and the bond between teammates who lift each other in more ways than one. Powerlifting at Chapelle would not be where it is today if it did not have the sisterhood it has.  Every time a chipmunk lifter approaches the bar, she is reminded that strength isn’t just physical, it’s mental, emotional, and communal. And for Chapelle, that’s where the real weight of the sport lies.