NSSRA powerlifters show their strength at state Special Olympics | Chicago Tribune
By Patrick Z. McGavin – July 7, 2016
Pioneer Press/Chicago Tribune
Katie Millar has a gusto for life embodied in her love of sports and her willingness to try just about anything. She has shown a great flair for the tried-and-true: Running, swimming, softball and bowling.
She even likes exotic sports, such as snowshoeing. At the start of the year, when her private coach told her about powerlifting, the 29-year old Mundelein resident was ready and willing.
She made a seamless transition.
“Those other sports really helped each other because they are all part of the same muscle group,” Millar said. “I just told myself (with lifting) I had to be able to think and get myself set, concentrate and focus.”
Millar made a spectacular debut by earning four gold medals at the Illinois Special Olympics State Summer Games at Illinois State in June, when she competed as a member of the Northbrook-based Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association.
The Gators qualified 20 athletes for the state games, 18 of whom competed. The powerlifting team was the standout for NSSRA, capturing 16 of the program’s 36 total medals. Athletes were separated by age, weight and ability level.
Three Highland Park-based athletes also made key contributions to the medal count. Miguel Lara finished second in the squat and recorded third-place finishes in the bench press and deadlift while capturing the combined gold.
Randy Huffmaster and William Fisher also earned medals.
The stories of Millar and Lara proved especially impressive given both athletes were newcomers.
“Katie is naturally inclined, she plays a lot of sports, some I never even heard of,” said NSSRA powerlifting coach Joe Misek, adding that Millar is the first woman he’s trained.
“She competed with a lot of courage. She is very resilient and she trusted what we were coaching. She believed me when I told her she could add 10 pounds and still get it. That combination of athleticism, resilience and ability to stick with it and try out new techniques helped push her to new heights.”
Millar won a regional at Northwestern in May to qualify for the State Summer Games. She exceeded her own expectations.
“I was surprised,” she said after recording personal bests in each event.
The 21-year old Lara took up the sport following another coach’s encouragement at the beginning of the year.
“He was brand new but definitely athletic,” Misek said. “With all three of the lifts, we had to start with like a 15-pound body bar to do all the techniques safely and do his form right. We started that process in January, and by May he was deadlifting 255 pounds. It was an incredible story.”
“My favorite is the bench press, because I never stop,” Lara added. “Coach Joe told me to keep going and never give up, and that’s what I try to do every time out there.”
Lara displayed a natural ability with discipline and a willingness to try anything.
“He’s a fast learner, and every little technique he picked up really quickly, especially in the deadlift and the squat,” Misek said. “He was so good and such a fast riser that we had to keep changing his ability level.”
Huffmaster and Fisher were established athletes who achieved new levels of accomplishment. Fisher, who is in his mid-50s, is the oldest competitor of the group.
“Bill does the deadlift and squat, and he hit a plateau in both events,” Misek said. “We hit the ceiling with them, but he fought through and he managed to add 20 pounds to both events.”
Huffmaster is a deadlift specialist who took a year off to allow his body to recuperate. He hit a personal-best of 285 pounds in practice. Huffmaster finished with 255 at Illinois State.
“We had a fantastic team of people, athletes, coaches and support staff and teammates and they all pushed each other to new levels,” Misek said.
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @pzready
Special Olympics Illinois State Summer Games
Top performers among NSSRA Gator athletes
Bocce
Jessica Grene, Highland Park (1st, singles)
Vickilynn Shaw, Highland Park (2nd, doubles)
Powerlifting
William Fisher, Highland Park (2nd, deadlift; 3rd, bench press; 5th, combination bench/deadlift)
Randy Huffmaster, Highland Park (2nd, combination bench/deadlift; 2nd, deadlift; 5th, bench press)
Miguel Lara, Highland Park (1st, combination squat/bench/deadlift; 2nd, squat, 3rd, bench press, 3rd, deadlift)
Kathleen Millar, Mundelein (1st, combination squat/bench/deadlift; 1st, bench press, 1st, deadlift, 1st, squat)
Swimming
Alison Shapiro, Highland Park (5th, 25-meter backstroke)
Track and field
Michael Hull, Deerfield (3rd, 4-by-100 relay; 7th, 1500-meter run)
Dianna Mann, Highwood (2nd, 4-by-100 relay; 4th, 50-meter run)
Sam Mitchell, Highland Park (2nd, 4-by-100 relay; 5th, 50-meter run)
Jackie Richardson, Highland Park (2nd, 4-by-100 relay; 3rd, 100-meter run)
Pamela Smith-Bergsrud, Lake Bluff (1st, softball throw; 2nd, 4-by-100 relay)
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