By Chloe Dew, Guest Contributor
Nearly 70 female students have signed up for Wheaton College’s first women’s weightlifting club.
The group was formed late last spring and began regular practices this past week. Created and led by sophomore and studio art major Josie Lawrence, the club seeks to introduce female students to the basics of weightlifting as well as coach those who have prior experience, bringing a fresh perspective to women’s sports at Wheaton. It is open to anyone with an interest in lifting.
Lawrence says her “vision is to have a space in the gym where women can feel safe and comfortable to be able to learn how to lift.” The gym, she explained, can be a “very male-dominated space on this campus,” which can feel very “intimidating,” particularly if they are not on any Wheaton Athletics teams.
Lawrence, a former athlete on the Mars Hill University women’s weightlifting team, has been to both Nationals and American Open Finals as a youth and junior athlete, and specializes in Olympic Weightlifting technique.
Olympic weightlifting focuses on skills such as the snatch and clean and jerk, in which athletes lift the barbell from the ground and press it overhead.
Lawrence’s goal is to share her love of weightlifting and expand its presence for women on campus. Lawrence explained that participants are taught a mix of Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting and strength training, which includes technical sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and heavy lifts on Saturdays.
The club combines Olympic weightlifting techniques with more well-known skills, such as the bench press and deadlift. “My mom taught me the barbell, deadlifts and backspot, but I haven’t done any of the Olympic stuff before,” said Lucy Boyd, a sophomore art major.
The women’s weightlifting club had an initial sign-up of nearly 70 people. Several students said they first heard about women’s weightlifting from posters and Lawrence’s consistent presence in the gym.
“I feel a lot more comfortable coming to the gym, but also, I feel like I know what I’m doing now,” said Camille Fisher, a sophomore Bible and theology major.
In the future, Lawrence hopes the club might move toward becoming an NCAA-recognized sport at Wheaton. For now, it continues to inspire curiosity and passion for women’s weightlifting on campus.
“Last year, I was praying that the Lord would provide me with women to lift with, and then this pops up,” Fisher said. “Genuinely, this is an answer to prayer, and I think of Josie very highly.”
