What started as a small, revived club is quickly gaining momentum as the Powerlifting Club pushes toward competitive meets and long-term recognition on campus.
The Powerlifting Club may still be new, but its ambitions are anything but small. Diego Roberts, club president and junior nursing major, said the club’s vision is to one day bring members to regional meets and hopefully nationals.
“The end goal is to have a set schedule and a set number of meets that we have people go to. For our higher-level competitors — having them go to a regional meet, which would then qualify for nationals meets,” Roberts said.
Roberts recently placed first in the Men’s 82.5kg Open and Junior division at the USA Powerlifting Illinois State Championship and qualified for Open and Junior US Raw Nationals in June.
As a registered club under USAPL, one of the largest powerlifting federations in the United States, SIUE Powerlifting already has a legitimate platform to build upon. However, Roberts said that progress takes time.
“Right now, the issue is building up the program, because it is pretty new,” Roberts said. “Last year, I kicked it back up, and we have seen a lot of growth recently.”
For Roberts, powerlifting is more than just competition — it is inclusive by nature and accessible to anyone willing to put in the work.
“The thing about powerlifting is everyone can powerlift. Getting into it and committing and doing a meet is really good for you psychologically,” Roberts said
That mindset has helped the club attract members of all experience levels, united by a shared goal of self-improvement.
Vice President and sophomore kinesiology major Gavin Smothers believes dedication is what truly defines the team.
“We put hours in every week, we show up early, we work on programs, we work with the guys on nutrition. We are very dedicated to making this a competitive force,” Smothers said.
Smothers’ vision reaches beyond the walls of the gym.
“I want it to be an actual school team. I want scholarships provided. Powerlifting is a very slept-on sport. It’s not talked about enough or respected enough,” Smothers said
That hunger to elevate the club is shared by its members. Jason Li, the club’s oldest member and a senior exercise science major, sees a future where SIUE Powerlifting gains official recognition.
“I might try to be a coach for SIUE Powerlifting,” Li said. “I think in the future, if all goes well, we could try to make SIUE Powerlifting an actual school sport.”
For now, the focus remains on daily progress.
“We are all trying to work on our weaknesses and strive to become stronger every day,” Li said.
For more information on the Powerlifting Club, visit their Get Involved or their Instagram.
