It’s not the amount of weight one lifts,

It’s who a person becomes as a result of lifting that weight.

Mission:      "Help at risk youth fulfill their potential, both physically and mentally through the sport of Olympic Weightlifting while having a positive impact on the community."

Background: Heavy Athletics coaches are in jail every day coaching olympic weightlifting. A committed group of six volunteers work with incarcerated kids in the John Serbu Juvenile Justice Center. We’ve done so for seven years now. The growth and recognition of the intrinsic value of the program has been dramatic. It has resulted in a win/win/win situation for the at risk youth, for the community, and for the personal lives of the volunteers who work with these kids.

Briefly, the program targets two at risk populations,… at risk youth incarcerated at the John Serbu Juvenile Justice Center, and those on probation. We coach 6 days week, 52 weeks a year, and the chart in the accompanying update illustrates the numbers we deal with and the growth of the program.

Lane County Juvenile Justice Center Seven Year Summary

Success:       Detention Challenge Program If the at risk youth wishes to return for a second training session, and beyond… that’s success. We are asking kids to give more effort and maintain more focus than they ever dreamed possible,… from moment one, and from that point on.

The second tier of success occurs when an at risk youth leaves detention and commits to the more demanding and intense training of the Probation Challenge Program.

The final indicator of success is becoming a member of the elite Heavy Athletics Team, competing in sanctioned competitions, and returning to the juvenile justice system as a mentor to others.

Become a Team Member of Heavy Athletics

We change people’s lives, one repetition at a time.

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P.O. Box 2085 Jasper, OR 97438 Office (541) 953-7946 hvyath@aol.com