Team Beaufort wins big at Junior Olympics
Team Beaufort wins 16 gold, silver & bronze medals at Junior Olympics
Team Beaufort, the local weightlifting team composed of school-age students from eight local schools, won big at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympic’s 2009 games in Des Moines, Iowa, this past weekend.
In addition to James Washington’s extraordinary accomplishments at the event (see related article), the team as a whole brought home a slew of awards including the team championship trophy for weightlifting for the ninth consecutive year.
Sixteen Team Beaufort members won either a gold, silver or bronze medal, signifying first, second or third place at the Junior Olympics. The Team Beaufort winners ranged in age from 8 to 18 and lifted total-meet weights from 49 to 246 pounds.
Headed by Coach Ray Jones, the non-profit Team Beaufort is composed of youngsters ranging in age from 8 to 18 from eight local schools who are trained in movements for flexibility, core and body awareness. Youths in this program are not only challenged physically, but gain life lessons, competetive spirit, improvement in grades, behavior, goal setting, self esteem, general attitude, overall conditioning and weight management.
In 1996 the first group of athletes of Team Beaufort qualified for junior national competition. Since that time Team Beaufort has continued to compete on a state and national level, training hundreds of children for the weightlifting events.
Team Beaufort holds the team championship in two national competitions and has held the team trophy from the AAU Junior Olympics for nine consecutive years, 2001-2009. Team Beaufort also holds the team trophy from the USA Weightlifting School Age Nationals for two years running, 2008-2009.
To be selected for travel squads, be it regionally, nationally, or internationally, Team Beaufort youngsters are monitored for grades and conduct. Membership in Team Beaufort is based solely on an individual’s willingness to try, learn and work hard without regard to race, creed, sex, age, size, body composition or ability.
Coach Ray Jones has been involved with weight training for more than 30 years. He is a senior coach in USA Weightlifting and a weightlifting coach in the AAU. The AAU named him national weightlifting coach of the year in 2001 and 2007.
Team Beaufort’s goal is to promote the youth of our community and provide an opportunity for all to experience the thrill, excitement and benefits of competing in an Olympic sport. Team Beaufort solicits donations from the general public to help with its travel and other expenses. The mailing address to send a contribution is Team Beaufort c/o Susan DeLoach, 7038 Jefferson Drive, Beaufort, SC 29906.
Related posts:
- Team Beaufort’s Olympic-style weightlifting team heads to Des Moines, Iowa
- Letter to the editor: Congratulations to Team Beaufort
- Beaufort Academy of Dance students to compete in national dance competition
- The Inn at Palmetto Bluff wins travel magazine award
