CURT WHITE

-        YOB-1962      Bodyweight-85 Kgs.    Snatch-152.5   Clean & Jerk-195      

-        MEMBER - USA WEIGHTLIFTING HALL OF FAME

-        1988 Olympic team member

-        Multiple senior national champion

-        National junior records in multiple classes & senior records in multiple classes

-        HIS CLEAN AND JERK RECORDS HAVE NOT BEEN MATCHED BY ANY AMERICAN LIFTER OF EQUAL OR LIGHTER BODYWEIGHT

STEWART THORNBURGH  

-        YOB-1962   60 Kgs. 105 & 140.5

-        National Jr. Records in 3 classes

-        5 time member Junior world team

-        SENIOR NATIONAL CHAMPION - 1978

SID PETERSEN

Sid Petersen was the first lifter I took to nationals in maybe 1974 in York, Pa. Sid was 14 (maybe?). At a bodyweight of 113, Sid cleaned maybe 209 wearing tennis shoes!! I was really just learning myself. Sid was one of the toughest kids I ever coached. Very hard worker.

AMY MILLER

-        YOB-1989       48       57.5     77.5

-        Clean and jerked 88 Kgs. at 54+ Kgs

-        National School Age Champion & record holder in 3 classes

-        Won American Open at age 13

-        Racked 81 Kgs. at 47.9 Kgs bodyweight

GUY CARLTON

-        YOB-1952        110        170     215      

-        Many times American senior record setter and 2 time Olympian

-        Senior national champions

-        Guy lived 50 miles from Charleston, and trained here many times, lifted for our club in the early years, and lived in Charleston for a year or two

-        Guy passed away in 2001

JERRY CLAYTON

-        YOB-1957   110 Kgs. - 147.5 & 190

-        Jerry was from Camden/Rushville, Illinois, and was somewhat of a self-taught lifter. He lifted for our club for many years and competed at the senior national level

-        Jerry was an outstanding shot-putter, especially considering his relatively short size (5 feet 10 1/2 inches)

-        Jerry was the asst. track coach at University of Illinois, and is now asst. coach at Auburn University

-        He is considered one of the top field event coaches in the country

 MARK FLEMING

-        YOB-1977

-        Twice finished second in Illinois state discus championships in track and field; Best throw 180 feet, 4 inches

-        Threw shot 56 feet, 10 inches

-        Worked on Olympic lifts to help his throws

-        Cleaned 130 Kgs., benched 150 Kgs.

-        Graduated - U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY IN ANNAPOLIS, MD.

-        Served 2 tours in Iraq

 JAMES WILLIAMS

-        YOB-1981        105        125     155      

-        Also a thrower in track and field. Threw the discus 184 feet 4 inches

-        In Norfolk, Va., 1998, won the AAU Jr. Olympics in weightlifting and was second in the 17 & 18 discus as a   17 year old

-        Threw 180' at age 17

-        Front squatted 160 Kgs. at age 15

 TIM HUFFMAN

-        YOB-1960           85    115       135   

-        Did these lifts at age 14 (Lifting age 15 under present rules)

-        Set multiple Jr. Olympic age group records

-        Won multiple national championships in his age group

-        Qualified for the state multiple times in the shot and discus

 TOM KRAUS

Tom Kraus is the coach of the Aurora Weightlifting Club. He was formerly a high level powerlifter, but took up the Olympic lifts while a student at Eastern Illinois University. He trained under coach Marty Schnorf, head coach of the Charleston Weightlifting Club, and then, after graduating in 1997, went on to teach at Aurora West High School in Aurora, Illinois. Tom's best lifts were approximately 130 Kgs. in the snatch and 165 Kgs. in the clean and jerk.

Tom serves as strength coach at Aurora West High School and also coaches the Aurora Weightlifting Club, assisted by Mark Peterman. Among the top lifters he has produced are Alex Argueta, Matt Lee, and Lisa Lamont. All three have attended USA Weightlifting funded training camps and represented the United States in international competition. Alex (Best lifts of 70 Kgs. snatch and 88 Kgs c & j) is one of only four females in the United States to be on a full weightlifting scholarship. She attends Northern Michigan University, where she is to be a sophomore in the fall of 2006.

 

DAN DOWNS

Dan Downs (maybe the most talented boy I ever had) -  power cleaned maybe 160 lbs. at 90 at age 12

 

ALAN DOWNS

C&J 160 lbs at 102 lbs. age 14