USA Para Powerlifting (USAPP) has found its home at Logan as it transitions to becoming an official Paralympic Sports Organization over the next year. With a belief that people with physical disabilities deserve high quality organized athletic opportunities, from youth sports to elite Paralympic competition, the Paralympic Operations Department (POD) at Logan aims to be leaders in the global adaptive sport movement. With the help of Move United, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals with physical disabilities learn about and participate in adaptive sports, the two are working to bring awareness and increase accessibility to the sport nationwide. “The

“When I’m competing, it’s just me and the bar. The bar doesn’t judge you and there’s no one else to blame. You either have a good lift or you don’t.” Blaze Tres Foster is a USA Para Powerlifting (USAPP) athlete. Originally from Monroeville, Pennsylvania, he was born with a genetic disorder for bone growth called Achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, and while he’s only been involved in para powerlifting since 2017, staying physically fit has always been a part of his life. “I got into fitness when I was 11 years old,” he said. “My older brother was an amazing

A certified personal trainer and USA Para Powerlifting Coach, Caitlin Brown has a passion for helping people with physical disabilities build strength. Caitlin and her father opened Samaritan’s Walk 2010 when they had their first client with a spinal cord injury. Since then, Samaritan’s Walk has been dedicated to providing a space where those with physical disabilities can receive personal training. In 2018, Samaritan’s Walk became a sanctioned USA Para Powerlifting Regional Hub so that athletes with disabilities from all over the U.S. could learn about the sport and compete at a gym specially designed for them. “It’s amazing to

Nine athletes who competed at USA Para Powerlifting’s 2020 Regional Qualifier held January 18 on Logan’s campus qualified to represent the U.S. in Bogota, Colombia, in March 2020. That competition will serve as the last stop in the competition cycle, qualifying athletes for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Qualifying athletes included: Johnathan Coots with 88kg bench Ashley Dyce with 112 kg bench Blaze Foster with 108kg bench Christian Largo with 141 kg bench Luis Gonzalez Poma with 110kg bench Garrison Redd with 122 kg bench Ahmed Shafik with 193 bench Jacob Schrom with 210 kg bench Nicklaus Toedebusch with 82 kg