Extraordinary – a word meaning remarkable. It is someone going above and beyond what is average. And three students are just that. Extraordinary.

Seniors Will Meade and Gabe Williams and sophomore Sam Williams have been putting blood, sweat, and tears into competitive
weightlifting for a year now.

Recently in Las Vegas, they competed in the American Open Series, earning some of them national titles.

Behind the roaring crowd cheering them on and the shiny medals hanging from their necks, there is unmatched passion and dedication.

“Weightlifting doesn’t discriminate,” says Meade. “Anyone can do it – any size, any weight. It’s just a good sport in general.”

With weightlifting being more of an individual sport, the athletes find their passion within.

“It shows off more than just the team, and lets people see me and my hard work,” Sam Williams said.

While team sports are celebrated for the joy of working together, a different passion is found here.

“Every time you lift you just get a different feeling that you can’t really get any other way,” says Meade.

Each of these young men had the opportunity to bring home something impressive from their most recent competition.

Sam Williams earned second in his session for youth, Meade earned third place in three different categories, and Gabe Williams currently is ranked 11^th in the national youth division.

Though they all hold different records, they also all hold an extraordinary goal.

“To someday,” says Gabe Williams, “make it to the Olympics.”