What Is The LHSPLA?
The sport of high school powerlifting was originally promoted as a competition designed to break the monotony of football off-season programs. Strength training is a vital component to the preparation of an upcoming football season and competition seemed to be an extrinsic motivator to becoming stronger. Therefore, football teams would assemble at a common site during the off season months to demonstrate individual and team strength. One such event took place in 1965 under the direction of Dr. Billy Jack Talton, who at the time was a football coach at Bastrop High School. Several years later, in 1979, Louisiana Tech University hosted one of the first High School Invitational Meets. This meet was also held under the direction of Dr. Talton, who was an instructor of Physical Education and the Powerlifting Coach at Tech. The Tech Invitational would eventually become what is known now as the North Regional.
In the 1980's, powerlifting grew to become a sport unto itself, rather than a preparation for the upcoming football season. As a result of the growing interest of strength training as a sport, the Louisiana High School Powerlifting Association was formed in 1983 to organize and govern events in which high school competitors could display human strength. Today the LHSPLA sponsors a sport whose season begins in December and ends with the State Meet held on the 1st weekend in March every year. The sport now includes male and female athletes who train each year for the chance to be called "the strongest high school lifter in the state" according to body weight. To qualify for the State Meet, lifters must first compete in one of the four Regional competitions (North, South, East, and West) held each year in late January or early February. At these meets each lifter must meet certain criteria, as set forth by the LHSPLA, to qualify to lift at the State Championship Meet.
For a lifter to qualify to compete in the State Meet, he or she must finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd in their respective weight classes at the Regional competition. Lifters that do not finish in the top 3 at the regional competition may still qualify for the state meet. They can qualify if they are one of the next best 3 Division I (5-A to 3-A Classifications) or the next best 3 Division II (2-A to 1-A and Below) lifters in their designated weight class. Each region may qualify up to nine lifters per weight class for the State Championship Meet.
The LHSPLA began a Hall of Fame in 1994. The Hall of Fame was created to recognize various lifters and coaches who have been instrumental in promoting the sport. You can see the current members and read about their accomplishments that made them deserving of being elected into the LHSPLA Hall of Fame at the Hall of Fame link on the LHSPLA web site. New inductees to the Hall of Fame are voted on each year at the LHSPLA's annual business meeting.
Since 1984, many Louisiana High School Powerlifting teams have traveled to compete in many national events. National Championship meets are sponsored by one of the following organizations: USAPL (formerly known as the American Drug Free Powerlifting Association), the United States Powerlifting Federation (USPF), and Natural Athlete Strength Association (NASA). Some of these meets are held in Louisiana. Others have been held in various parts of the United States, such as New York, Texas and Nebraska. Louisiana teams have been represented at most of these National Meets. High School powerlifting in the Louisiana continues to grow in the new millennium under the direction of LHSPLA Executive Committee. Prior to the State and Regional competitions, several high school invitational meets are held in December and January. The list of schools currently hosting invitational meets are Alexandria Senior High, St. Amant High School, and West Monroe High School. The LHSPLA also contests a JV State Meet, which is currently being hosted by West Monroe High School. The State Meet has grown from 46 lifters in 1983 to the over 500 lifters that competed in the 2000 State Championship Meet. At the State Meet, team points are awarded according the participating school's LHSAA classification. Participation in the State Meet has grown to such large numbers that it has become necessary to contest the State Meet over a two-day period. Starting this year the Division II (2-A, 1-A and below) Girls and Boys meets will be held on Friday during the LHSPLA State Championship weekend, with the Division I (5-A, 4-A and 3-A) Girls and Boys meets being held on Saturday.
In an attempt to service the interest of high school athletics, the LHSPLA established a scholarship fund from which deserving lifters are awarded a $500 scholarship to be used to continue their education beyond high school. The selection process for awarding these scholarships is under the direction of the LHSPLA Executive Committee and is voted on by the entire membership.