Houston weightlifters power through state, national competitions

Athletes from Houston High School’s Forged Strength Powerlifting Club lifted their way to excellence at both state and national competitions earlier this year.

The young lifters continue to prove their mental focus and physical strength as they gain experience from each competition they attend and every early morning workout in the gym. Led by coach Josh Bicchinella, the program that started last fall has created a legacy out of Houston High School, forging the next generation in the weightroom, in the classroom and in the real world.

“It’s been a lifestyle change for a lot of them,” Bicchinella said. “They’re lifting three, four times a week. They’re eating healthier, their grades have improved. It’s been a 180 for some of them in terms of getting involved in something that they’re actually passionate and excited for.”

Nine club members competed at the USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Alaska State Championship on February 7 at Southside Strength and Fitness in Eagle River. Collectively, the team took home eight gold medals, two silver medals and set 12 new state records. Daryn Leiser, Aaron Rameriz, Tysen Harmon, Kierstyn Robeson, Payton Bicchinella and Samantha Trelfa won best in weight class and division. Tristan Johnson and Calvin Paduyos took second in weight class and division.

With their scores, Robeson, Harmon and Paduyos qualified to participate at USAPL High School Nationals in March. Robeson, Bicchinella, Harmon and Leiser qualified to participate at USAPL Raw Nationals in June.

Bicchinella and assistant coach Alicia Noack accompanied Harmon, Paduyos and Robeson to USAPL High School Nationals at the end of last month in Killeen, Texas. Paduyos finished sixth overall and Robeson finished eighth overall for their divisions, coming from some of the lowest total scores and surpassing much of their competition. Harmon faced some adversity during the event but fought through it and took home many new lessons from his experience.

Attending a major competition in the Lower 48 is no small feat for a local Alaskan team. Not only are the athletes lifting amongst 665 other high school age students, they’re making a huge commitment of time and money to travel thousands of miles. A trip like this, away from family and as a team, is new for many of the students. The lessons learned from the competition are just as important as the life experience gained from making an adventure like this one.

And this national competition is only the beginning.

“We’re just getting our feet wet,” Bicchinella said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re making a big splash in terms of getting outside of the state. The kids have been doing a fantastic job with the programming and all of the training.”

The team is now working through their biggest wall yet. They are raising funds to take qualifiers Robeson, Harmon, Leiser and Bicchinella to USAPL Raw Nationals June 12-14 in Chicago, Illinois. They will be representing Alaska among over 800 competitors that span various age groups and experience levels.

With their success in Texas and the lessons they’ve learned, the team has been preparing for another epic Lower 48 adventure.

“They’re even more hungry now for being able to work hard and earn things,” Bicchinella said.

Bicchinella hopes to tack on additional experiences to their journey, to include touring Chicago and taking in the cultural sites and visiting other institutions and colleges that offer powerlifting programs.

Travel and lodging is their largest expense, and generous donations from the community helped to make their last trip a success. An especially large contribution from Cruz Construction covered all of their airfare and travel fees, making that entire trip possible.

“We wouldn’t have been able to go if it wasn’t for them,” Bicchinalla said. “We had a lot of sponsors, but they were a massive contributor.”

The team is accepting donations to make their next trip possible. Those looking to contribute can reach out to Coach Bicchinella at his school phone or email, or by directly messaging the Houston Forged Strength Powerlifting Instagram page. The team is part way through their fundraising goals after receiving a grant from the Alaska Community Foundation, but still have a long way to go.

The new program at Houston has built strong, capable young men and women that have learned to push outside of their comfort zones to achieve their goals. Many of the athletes have developed a new love for the sport and a commitment that pushes them to be better individuals, both inside and outside of the weight room.

“We’re just blessed to be together,” Bicchinella said.