The girls’ weightlifting team coached by PE teacher Molly McCann, has been highly praised for their past performances. Although there are various reasons why the students choose to join in the end, their performances let the people know how hard they worked all together to achieve their goals.

Weightlifting is a sport that requires the person to have the mental and physical strength to be able to concentrate on lifting weights. This winter sport has caught the eye of multiple Suncoast students. Many girls have joined the girl’s weightlifting team each with different goals and techniques in mind. Anna Fiore, Nicolette Kafouros, and Angelina Belanger all competed in the state weightlifting meet in Lakeland and had amazing performances.

Fiore, the captain of the girls’ weightlifting team, placed second in the Olympic competition in her weight class. “Consistency was the key technique,” is Fiore’s advice for other weightlifters. Staying consistent in her training and working hard with her coaches is what led Fiore to such a great victory.

Belanger, a junior member of the girls’ weightlifting team, has been competing alongside the team since freshman year. Belanger has been going to the gym daily, practicing and competing in smaller competitions that led her to compete at the state weightlifting meet. “At the start of the competition, I was excited and nervous, but I got over the fear after a while,” Belanger said. All her hard work paid off as she placed fourth.

Kafouros has also been training with the weightlifting team since freshman year placing eighth in the weightlifting meet.

“I joined out of a whim but I became very passionate and have been lifting since summer and ever since I haven’t stopped,” Kafouros said.

The sport has become an important part of Kafouros life as she would like to continue lifting after high school.

“I don’t think I will stop even if I stop competing. I won’t stop lifting and trying to improve because it’s fun and a great source of exercise,” Kafouros commented.

Seeing their performances has inspired many other girls to join the weightlifting team in the near future.

“Seeing how they compete made me want to start trying to lift by myself and maybe in the future join them,” Nicole Gonzalez, an IB sophomore, said.

Fiore, Kafouros, and Belanger recognize Coach McCann for helping them to get where they are now.