The North Wind

Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jeff Kitson Vance Newgard (above) is a facility user for USOEC weightlifting.

It has been a rollercoaster of a week for USOEC weightlifting. On Friday, it was announced the program would be shut down at the end of the semester due to financial situations within their governing body, USA weightlifting.

But then on Monday, the team was informed their financial burden was covered until June 1 through fundraising efforts made by Werk San Barbells, a top weightlifting equipment supplier to USA Weightlifting.

According to USOEC director Jeff Kleinschmidt, the reason for the initial cut was due to USA Weightlifting not earning any medals at the 2008 Olympics.

"Any time an Olympic team doesn't do very well, that governing body, or that team, loses some financial support," he said. "We knew it would be tough financial times for USA weightlifting, and we didn't know how they were going to adjust their budget and what effect that would have on the program here until recently."

The announcement was a shock.

"It was a surprise to me that this situation happened. I think it was surprise to everyone," said head weightlifting coach Andy Tysz.

After learning that USOEC Weightlifting would be cut, Kleinschmidt and Tysz were also informed that USA weightlifting would be searching for funding.

"I was optimistically realistic," Tysz said. "I thought we could certainly raise the money for the short-term solution. And hopefully that will give us enough time to have things in place to have a long-term solution."

Kleinschmidt added Werk and USA Weightlifting have made a firm commitment to support the USOEC until the end of the winter semester, and it is their goal to continue funding until the 2012 Summer Olympics.

"It was very encouraging to everyone that there are so many people in USA weightlifting that care about what our program has that they were willing to donate money, and to make sure the program will continue," he said.

Tysz said, despite the hectic week, his team stayed on track in the gym with its training.

"Fortunately - and it is a testament to their desire and their will to be better and to show the work in the program - they kept the fire and still preformed well," he said. "There wasn't one bad practice session after it."

Continued...

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