Josh Almond Takes 7th Place in State Weight Lifting Competition

In weight-lifting, Canyon Lake has not had a team competing that long, but Josh Almond made his mark after finishing 7th place in State competition last week at Abilene, Texas.

Josh Almond gets some last minute encouragement from Coach Cody Means at State Weight Lifting Meet.

Canyon Lake has not had many athletes to compete in the state arena but on this day Almond would finish 7th out of 14 competitors in his weight division.

“I can’t mess up,” Almond said when asked what he was thinking while he was getting ready for his first lift. “I think Coach Greene was more nervous than I was.”

Almond started his Senior year with a total of 1335 pounds during his first meet and finished this State appearance with a 1605 pound day. Almost 300 more which is pretty hefty improvement.

The numbers came from a Squat: 640, Bench 455, and Dead-Lift 510, that was an increase of 55 pounds Almond lifted during his Regionals with a Squat: 620, Bench 420, and Dead-Lift 510.

Almond would increase his weight by 35 pounds in his best event, the Bench, before starting that event , “I was thinking that I had to get this weight and not get any red flags.”

This sport is not all braun, “It is mostly mental toughness,” Almond said confidently. “It is technique that the judges are looking at and that is where the mental discipline comes in.”

As Almond continued, “The first round had 2 participants that were disqualified or what we call, ‘Bombed Out’….the advantage is being the last guy in each round and during this bench event I moved up 3 spaces because my Bench Lift is my best lift.”

Josh Almond in action as he will wait for an OK from the Judge.

In the Olympics you see those athletes have to wait (pardon the pun) for a judge to ok a lift, “You need to get 2 or 3 white flags and if you see 2 or 3 red flags then you know that the lift does not count….Your feet have to be set and you cannot shake and you have to hold the bar until the Judge gives the ok.”

That would have to be a draining episode especially when you are upping your weight in trying to move up and that would give an athlete a lot of apprehension building up.

Another aspect in this sport is watching what you say, as a leader in the Regional Meet, let out some expletives and was disqualified from that meet and it allowed other athletes to move up.

So, think about hitting your hand with a hammer while working and having to be within yourself in not saying anything that might disqualify you….that is mental toughness to the Nth degree.

“Going into the 3rd round I was in 4th place,” Almond remembered. “I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh’, I can metal, but I was about to go into my weakest round…I could have gone more (lifted more weight) on my bench but it takes a lot of mental discipline, but I knew that my place would change.”

A taxing day for sure but the whole family was in attendance and a time for enjoying those moments was next on the schedule.

                   Hawk Proud

“My family was happy for me and we went to a burger joint,” Almond said while using his napkin. “I had always dreamed of making it to State and I wanted to come here (Canyon Lake) to power-lift and SA Cole did not have that type of program.”

Almond finished, “Canyon Lake has been fun and I got way more support and camaraderie with the whole community and I am glad we are here!”

The Hawk Nation is happy you and your family have made this your home and wish the best for you as you go to UTSA and continue your studies in school and life.

Keep lifting with-out receiving any of those red flags because every decision you make will have consequences that are good and bad, but based on your resolve The ReSporter feels you will get a passing grade from your Judges!!

Congrats and Go Josh Almond & Go Hawks!!