Recently, District Physical Education Supervisor Matt Meany announced that District 228 held its annual “Bigger Faster Stronger” weightlifting competition at Oak Forest High School. This event is something that the students work hard to qualify for and which showcases their success as physical education students.
Students from all four district schools—Bremen High School, Hillcrest High School, Tinley Park High School, and Oak Forest High School—represented their home school as the best of the best weightlifters at each school and competed for first place medals in different categories: Bench press, squat, power cleans, and a cardiovascular test called the PACER.
Students enrolled in the Jr./Sr. Level Strength and Conditioning class qualified for the competition in their physical education classes. There are four boys’ weight classes for each lifting event and four girls’ weight classes. For the PACER event, there are three boys and three girls that can qualify per school. Students can only qualify in two different events.
All participating students received a t-shirt and the first place winners in each category received a medal. A running score is kept for the entire day and a traveling trophy is awarded to the school that scores the most points.
The following top weightlifters took home a first place medal in various events:
Boys’ Bench Press Winners: Davelle Grear, Hillcrest; Tyler Usterbowski, Oak Forest; Matt Barry, Oak Forest; Alec Brown, Oak Forest
Boys’ Squat Winners: Davelle Grear, Hillcrest; Moshood Adeyemo, Hillcrest; Preston Thompson, Tinley Park; Phillip Richardson, Hillcrest
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Boys’ Cleans Winners: Tevin Graham, Hillcrest; Moshood Adeyemo, Hillcrest; Tom Livingston, Oak Forest; Charles Hall, Tinley Park
Boys’ Pacer Winner: Jaylin Banks, Hillcrest
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Girls’ Bench Press Winners: Monique Porto, Oak Forest; Melissa Marban,Tinley Park; Mariam Awoniyi, Hillcrest; KeAisha Watkins, Tinley Park
Girls’ Squat Winners: Miracle Cole, Hillcrest; Taylor Williamson, Tinley Park; Marissa Padilla, Oak Forest; Alia Jamison, Hillcrest; Caitlin Suddeth, Tinley Park; KeAisha Watkins, Tinley Park
Girls’ Cleans Winners: Antoinette Collins, Hillcrest; Ashley Benninger, Oak Forest; Cailey Delis, Oak Forest; Diamond Beatty, Tinley Park; Jaime Duckwall, Bremen; Alia Jamison, Hillcrest; Lorielle Little, Hillcrest; Tierra Sanders, Hillcrest
Girls’ Pacer Winner: Angelica Lafemina, Tinley Park
The winning students get their picture on the cover of one of the PE Department Study Guides.
District physical education staff members who helped coordinate this student-centered activity are Brad Esposito, Keri Larson, and Matt Verble from Bremen High School, Stacy Lane and Amy Trench from Hillcrest High School, Katie Campbell, Bucky Randolph, and Jason Thormeyer from Oak Forest High School, and Cassie Gaines and Nick Johnston from Tinley Park High School.
