Senior powerlifter Desire Dorsey

Although powerlifting is not considered to be a formal sport in the NSAA, senior competitor Desiree Dorsey says the team is still like a family to her. Dorsey started powerlifting her sophomore year after excelling in weight training class and wanting to move further. ” I thought ‘why not?’ Because it seemed like something I would be good at ” Dorsey said. Powerlifting offers more of a challenge to those interested in becoming stronger. ”
Throughout her three seasons on the team, Dorsey has competed in each of the three meets and plans on continuing her passion through college. “I’m going to Midland College and it’s actually one of the number one powerlifting colleges” Dorsey said. She has been inspired by the sport over the past three years, with her main motivation being “to get stronger than a lot of the boys and even men out there.”
This winter “club” only partakes in three meets per season, so that they have enough time to improve between each one. Regardless of where the preliminary meets are held in the season, state powerlifting is always done at South High School. For the last four years, the girls team at South has taken first place at state, leading athletes to suspect bias towards the team. ” I feel like it’s unfair for a lot of powerlifters to have the state meet at south” Dorsey said. “South high school girls have won every single year since 2013 and we just kind of feel like there is some bias.”
Overall, the fact that powerlifting is not considered a sport frustrates a lot of the people on the team. “All we get is an announcement in homeroom and we feel like we aren’t as important” Dorsey said, “Coach Baker has to put in a lot of work and effort and money all by himself.” Yet, Dorsey believes that the team has helped her grow as a person and helped her to gain many new friends. “One thing I’ve learned is that it doesn’t matter where you start, it’s where you finish in the end that’s important” Dorsey said.