The weights are already in the room. What WEGO lacks is not equipment or interest – it is action.

While many students at WEGO take strength classes and enjoy lifting, powerlifting is not offered as a club or team. Although powerlifting is not an official Illinois High School Association (IHSA) sport, it is offered as a club in many schools in the Chicagoland area and has its own organized competitive structure. The Illinois High School Powerlifting Association (IHSPLA) organizes regional meets and a state championship each spring, with host sites including AA Stagg, McHenry, New Trier, Maine West, and Golder College Prep – all within reasonable driving distance of WEGO.

While neighboring schools compete on the platform, WEGO remains on the sidelines – missing an opportunity to strengthen student health, school culture, and athletic performance.

The case for powerlifting at WEGO is no longer theoretical. The infrastructure exists. Only initiative is missing.

Powerlifting allows for growth in often overlooked areas. It helps develop muscle and increase bone density — two long-term health benefits that can reduce the risk of disease.

“The next area that I think that it’s beneficial is health. Obviously, when you put on more muscle mass, a lot of health issues are kind of supported off that. Individuals who have more muscle mass are less likely to have a lot of the big diseases out there,” strength and conditioning PE teacher Joe Duszynski said.

Beyond physical health benefits, powerlifting can also support mental health. Getting involved in powerlifting can help individuals build confidence, which can be difficult for certain people. According to PMX Strength, powerlifting teams often develop a family dynamic that encourages leadership, discipline, and accountability – qualities that would strengthen any student organization at WEGO.

“I think the third is a certain amount of social activity, because very seldom, if ever, you are in a weight room and you are just by yourself, you got to learn how to work with others. You have to learn how to encourage each other,” Duszynski said.

Powerlifting also offers a competitive advantage. For student-athletes, structured strength training can improve performance and reduce injury risk when taught properly. A club would provide organized, supervised lifting – not just occasional after-school workouts.

“I would definitely be part of powerlifting if it helped me with sports, and especially gain strength, to give me an advantage and give me that step up compared to other schools that don’t have that club. Having that would put the other schools in a disadvantage and put us in an advantage,” junior Josue Romero said.

However, powerlifting does come with risks. Injury is possible in any sport, but improper technique in powerlifting can lead to issues in the shoulders, lower back, knees, forearms, and elbows. Some major injuries include shoulder impingement or nerve compression. These injuries can create long-term problems, which, for teens in high school, is a serious concern.

“I think it’s a great way to get some stress out and anger, but also, if you do it the wrong way, like, you can get really hurt, and that’s why people have, like, back issues or different shoulder injuries and whatnot,” Dean’s Assistant Justin Hocker said.

But risk alone is not a reason to avoid opportunity. Every IHSA sport – from football to wrestling – carries injury potential. The difference is in structure. Organized coaching, clear safety standards, and progressive training reduce risk significantly. A sanctioned club would likely be safer than unsupervised lifting.

While powerlifting is athletic in nature, it would not fall under WEGO’s athletic department because it is not IHSA-sanctioned.

“While weightlifting, powerlifting is a sport, it is not an IHSA sport currently,” Athletic Director Nick Parry said.

According to Parry, new clubs are typically approved through the activities department based on demonstrated student interest and the ability to secure a sponsor.

“We consistently add activities based off of student interest,” Parry said. “If kids approach us and say, ‘Hey, we’re really interested in doing this,’ we’d love to support that.”

In fact, Parry suggested that the timeline for launching a club could be relatively short.

“I think it’s something that can be done in the next six months,” Parry said. “There needs to be probably a couple kids that need to show interest – and you’d have to find a sponsor. That’s probably one of the hardest parts.”

Safety would also need to be prioritized.

“From my perspective… I would say yes,” Parry said when asked whether a certified strength coach would be ideal for supervision. “Strictly from a safety standpoint.”

The hurdles, then, are clear: documented student interest and a qualified adult sponsor.

Another potential challenge is sustained participation. Clubs require consistent involvement to remain active.

“I’ve been approached by, I think, three students over the course of five years that have said, ‘Hey, why don’t we have a powerlifting club?’ So that’s not a huge interest,” Duszynski said.

However, a Wildcat Chronicle Instagram poll conducted earlier this month suggests otherwise. In a 24-hour survey posted on Feb. 1, 167 students voted, with 86% responding “yes” to the question of whether WEGO should offer a powerlifting club. While social media polls are informal, the results indicate measurable interest – far beyond the handful of individual inquiries previously noted.

Interest is no longer speculative. It has been recorded.

According to Parry, new clubs begin with student initiative and a willing sponsor. The pathway exists. The conditions have been outlined.

The question is no longer whether powerlifting is viable. The question is who will step forward.

Again, the weights are already in the room.

Now it is up to the lifters.