Powerlifting coaches are unlikely to give state awards, based on regional meet lifts, Lafayette High powerlifting coach Kipp Duplechine tells KATC. He says an informal decision has been made against it.
Thursday, the LHSAA announced the cancellation of spring sports, and the remaining winter championships. Powerlifters were just days from the state meet when athletics were put on hold.
Duplechine said the logistics of even hosting a meet after the quarantine were difficult given the way lifters train. It's the same reason he agreed with the vote not to award champions.
He said the way lifters train to peak at the state meet, can mean doing less at regionals. He felt naming champions punished those lifters.
"There might be a kid of who was second place at regionals, but could go to states and win, not because they were holding back, but they weren't doing their absolute best because they were saving something for state," he said in a Zoom interview Friday. "If you handout state awards off regional results, I think a lot of kids are getting held back who would have shined at states."
