Record Holder

(These numbers are in kg so you have to convert them to #'s)

Record Holder

Tim is officially a record holder!

Tim now holds the record in the Men’s Junior 70kg Division for the Carolina WSO (Weightlifting State Organization), which includes lifters from both North Carolina and South Carolina.

This is something I’m pretty proud of because it’s not just a record for a particular competition or gym. The Carolina WSO records include lifters across North Carolina and South Carolina, so his name is now part of the record books for his state organization.

He actually beat the requirements for the States record by a long shot when he competed at Junior Nationals this past summer.

There is a little bit of a story behind how his results ended up in the 70kg category.

When Tim competed at Junior Nationals, he was competing in the 71kg Junior division, which was the weight class at the time. Since then, USA Weightlifting has changed the weight classes, and the 71kg division no longer exists. When Tim weighed in at Nationals, he was actually under 70kg, so his results qualified to be placed in the new 70kg Junior division.

And now his name is at the top of that record.

How cool is that?

As his mom, I am incredibly proud of everything Tim has accomplished this year. He won Junior Nationals in his division, set personal records, and now has his name in the Carolina WSO record books.

But here's the part that means just as much to me...

Tim is currently out with an elbow injury.

This is the first time since he started his Olympic weightlifting journey that he has had to sit out of States. And I know that's not easy for him.

He misses lifting.

He misses training.

He misses making gains and working toward his next goal.

When you're used to walking into the gym, putting in the work, seeing your numbers go up and constantly pushing yourself to get better, being told you have to stop can be incredibly frustrating.

But even in the middle of that disappointment, Tim is keeping a positive attitude and making the best of a tough situation.

That makes me proud too.

Because being an athlete isn't just about what you can do when everything is going right. Sometimes it's about how you handle the seasons when things aren't going the way you planned.

And this is one of those seasons for Tim.

He won't be competing at States this year, but he will still be there.

He'll be there supporting his teammates, cheering them on and helping his coach wherever he can.

That's the kind of thing I love seeing in him.

He's learning that being part of a team isn't dependent on whether you're the one standing on the platform. Sometimes your role is to compete. Sometimes it's to encourage. Sometimes it's to help. And sometimes it's simply to stand beside the people you've trained with and support them.

And while I know he'd much rather be lifting, I'm proud of the way he's handling this setback.

What a year this has already been for him.

He became a Junior Nationals champion.

He hit some huge personal records.

And now he's officially a Carolina WSO record holder.

That's a pretty incredible list of accomplishments for one year.

But as I've said before, the medals, the records, the numbers and the titles are just part of the story.

What matters most to me is the young man behind all of it.

I'm proud of the lifter Tim has become, but I'm even more proud of the person he's becoming.

This injury may have temporarily taken him off the platform, but it hasn't taken away his accomplishments, his work ethic, his determination or his place on his team.

The platform will still be there when he's ready to return.

For now, we're taking this one step at a time, trusting God through the process and making the best of where he is right now.

This Is Just Another Chapter

This Is Just Another Chapter

It’s with a sad heart that we let you know that Tim will not be competing at States this year. This will be the first time he has had to miss a competition since he started his journey in Olympic weightlifting. He will still be there at States supporting his teammates and helping his coach wherever he is needed. Even though he won’t be on the platform this time, he’ll still be part of his team—and I know he’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.

Now, let me give you the backstory on his injury.

A couple of months before Nationals, Tim started having some pain in his elbow. It wasn’t anything unbearable, and his body guy was able to get it under control pretty quickly—or so we thought.

You just never know what may be lurking underneath.

His body guy could only treat the symptoms Tim was experiencing. He did dry needling and shockwave therapy on the area, and for a while, it seemed to be doing the trick.

When Tim went to Nationals in June, his elbow was feeling good. He went on to make PR lifts and win his first USA Weightlifting National Junior Championship. It was an incredible Championships week, and we were so proud of him.

Then we came home, and he went back into training.

His elbow progressively started getting worse.

After doing everything he could, his body guy advised us to have Tim seen by an orthopedic doctor. We put in for an appointment, which took some time to get, and now we are going through all the hoops trying to figure out exactly what is causing this issue.

Here’s what we know so far.

His X-rays show nothing broken and no loose particles. An MRI without contrast showed fluid on his elbow. The medications they gave him haven't helped resolve the fluid issue. Blood work also showed that he does not have an autoimmune issue causing the problem.

The next step is to aspirate the fluid from his elbow and have it tested—which happens later this morning. After that, we may need to do an MRI with contrast to get a better look at the tendons surrounding the elbow.

So, what initially seemed like a minor issue could very well be just that—a minor issue.

But it could also be that his elbow is so pointy that it's irritating his tendon or there could be a small tear in one of his tendons that is being irritated by the movement of his elbow. In the case or the first scenario, that could possibly mean surgery to round the bony part that is irritating the tendon. In the case of the second scenario, we are fairly sure that it would simply require some rest time for it to heal. With either case that would mean Tim is done competing for the remainder of this year. 

And that's hard.

Not just because he loves competing, but because weightlifting has become such a huge part of his life and he absolutely loves it. He has worked incredibly hard to get where he is, and he has some pretty big dreams for where he wants this journey to take him.

So we’re asking our family and friends to pray in agreement with us🙏.

Pray for quick healing of Tim’s elbow. Pray that the underlying cause is revealed to his orthopedic doctors so they know exactly how to treat it. Pray for wisdom for everyone involved in his care.

And pray that he comes back stronger than he was before.

It is also our prayer that, Tim heals in time to train and prepare for The Arnold in March 2027. This will be the 50th Anniversary of the event, and being able to compete there would be an incredible opportunity.

Tim's passion is weightlifting. His dream is to compete at Worlds and, someday, carry the title of Olympian.

We don't know what this detour is going to look like yet.

But we do know Who holds the road ahead.

God has brought Tim through so much in his young life. We have watched God's hand on him in ways that are impossible for us to deny. And while we don't understand why he is dealing with this injury right now, we trust that God does.

I truly believe God has a plan for Tim’s life—and that plan is bigger than a medal, a competition, a championship, or even weightlifting itself.

This injury doesn't erase everything Tim has accomplished. It doesn't take away the work he has put in. It doesn't change who he is.

It's simply an unexpected part of his journey.

And maybe, just maybe, this is another opportunity for Tim to learn that strength isn't always found on a platform.

Sometimes strength looks like sitting on the sidelines when you'd rather be lifting.

Sometimes it looks like patience when you want answers.

Sometimes it looks like trusting God when you don't understand what He's doing.

And sometimes the biggest victories have nothing to do with medals.

Scot and I know that Tim will continue to honor God and his family through this journey because he knows just how much God's hand has been on his life. He's seen God carry him through things before, and we believe God will carry him through this, too.

So for now, we're taking it one day at a time, trusting God, praying for healing, and believing that Tim's story isn't over.

This is just another chapter.

And whatever comes next, we'll be right there beside him.

More Than the Medals

This quote hits home with me because it describes exactly how we've tried to raise Tim.

We've never wanted to raise a child whose entire identity was wrapped up in winning. We wanted to raise a young man who could face life—both the good and the hard—and know that he could handle whatever came his way.

Unfortunately, that's not always the message Tim received from coaches along the way.

Some of the coaches he's had put so much emphasis on winning that the message became, If you don't win, you didn't accomplish anything worth accomplishing. And honestly, that mentality turned both Tim and us off big time.

Winning is great. Who doesn't love to win? 

But winning isn't the only measure of success.

The coach Tim has now understands that. He doesn't focus solely on the wins. He focuses on the gains—the progress, the improvements, the little victories that happen along the way. He's more interested in helping Tim become better than he was yesterday than simply making sure he beats everyone else.

That's the kind of coach every athlete should have.

I wish Tim could have had a coach like this all along because I think there's something incredibly valuable about learning early that your worth isn't determined by a scoreboard, a podium or a medal.

The goal was never to raise an athlete who wins all the time.

The goal was to raise someone who knows they can handle anything life throws at them.

That's the ultimate goal.

Because one day the competitions will end. The training will slow down. The medals will eventually stop coming.

And yes, those medals will hang on a wall and tell a story. They'll remind us of the hard work, the sacrifices, the early mornings, the disappointments, the victories and all the moments in between.

But at the end of the day they're still just medals.

They are not who you are.

When there are no more competitions and no more medals to win, you have to be able to look at the person you've become and love who you are.

What kind of person are you when nobody is keeping score?

What kind of heart do you have?

How do you treat people?

Do you encourage others to succeed, even when they're competing against you?

Do you get back up when you fail?

Can you handle disappointment without allowing it to define you?

Can you celebrate someone else's success?

Can you walk away from something knowing you gave it everything you had, even if the outcome wasn't what you wanted?

That's what matters.

I want Tim to leave behind more than a collection of medals for people to talk about.

I want people to talk about his character.

I want them to say he had an amazing heart for people. That he cared about others. That he encouraged people. That he wanted to see others succeed. That he worked hard, stayed humble and didn't let either success or failure determine his worth.

Our son is an athlete, and he's had some incredible successes in his sports journey. We're incredibly proud of what he's accomplished.

But there's so much more to him than what he can lift, how much he can lift, how many competitions he's won or how many medals hang on his wall.

You just have to take the time to get to know him.

And that's what we've always wanted for him—not simply to raise a winner, but to raise a young man who knows who he is, whose worth isn't determined by what he accomplishes, and who knows that no matter what life throws at him, he can handle it.

Because at the end of the day, the medals may tell part of his story.

But his character tells you who he really is.

(I made the concept—AI helped sharpen it up)

The Journey Behind the Lift

Tim's plans are to lift at this year’s State Championships—prayerfully🙏. A lot will depend on how his elbow responds to rehab between now and then, but he’s signed up regardless.

Before Tim went to Nationals, he had already started having some issues with his elbow. We thought we had gotten everything lined out with his body guy, but once he returned home and got back into training, the problem got worse.

I shared a little about what was going on in an earlier blog post. If you missed it, you can read it here: When Strength Looks Different.

Thankfully, rehab is going well. Just not quite as quickly as Tim would like😊.

The next step is getting an MRI scheduled while he continues working with PT. At this point, Tim wants to know exactly what he’s dealing with—and quite frankly, so do we. Having some answers would help us understand what’s going on and what the best path forward looks like.

For now, Tim is hoping and praying that his elbow will allow him to compete. If he does get to lift, he’ll be taking a very conservative approach with his numbers. As much as he wants to compete, he doesn’t want to push things and cause further injury.

For someone who loves to lift and compete as much as Tim does, being patient through an injury is not easy. But sometimes strength looks different.

Right now, strength looks like showing up for rehab, being patient, listening to his body, and trusting God with the outcome.

God has blessed Tim with an amazing athletic ability, and we don't believe that gift is an accident. We believe God has a purpose for Tim's life, and we believe that purpose includes this athletic journey he is on. We don't know exactly where God is going to take him through it, but we know that God does have a purpose and plan.

Maybe this season is about competing. Maybe it's about learning patience. Maybe it's about perseverance. Maybe it's about something we can't see yet. Whatever it is, we want Tim to remember that his identity and purpose are bigger than a platform, a PR, or a championship.

We're praying for total healing, answers, and the opportunity for Tim to step onto that platform at State Championships for his 4th straight time. 

Whatever happens, though, we trust that God is using this journey Tim's on for something bigger than we can see right now💪🙏. 

WHEN STRENGTH LOOKS DIFFERENT

This picture is one of the last times that Tim lifted weight over his head.

I love this quote and included it with the picture because it's true.

After winning Nationals, Tim had been on such a high. He had worked so hard for that moment, and to see all of that hard work pay off was pretty incredible.

Then this...

For weeks now, Tim has been dealing with an issue with his elbow where it won't fully straighten out. He had some issues with it a few months back before Nationals. We thought it had gotten better with his working with his body guy, but after getting back to training, it has gotten worse.

He's been strictly doing lower body and core work while we figure out what is going on with his elbow.

Now we're going through the normal ropes to get everything that needs to be done, done. Tim has seen an orthopedic doctor. He's had X-rays done. There's no fracture or OCD changes and his joint spaces and alignment are normal. He's doing everything the orthopedic doctor is asking, along with PT. Next will be an MRI that will hopefully tell us what is really going on with his elbow.

We have to give what the orthopedic doctor is trying a chance first before we can move to the MRI step in order for insurance to pick up the tab.

Gotta love insurance... NOT!

But honestly, this has been a reminder that strength isn't always about what you can lift.

Sometimes strength is being willing to put the weights down when your body is telling you that something isn't right.

Sometimes strength is being patient when you want answers NOW.

Sometimes strength is doing the exercises you're supposed to do, going to PT, following the doctor's instructions and trusting the process—even when the process isn't moving as quickly as you'd like.

And sometimes strength is dealing with disappointment without allowing it to define you.

I know this isn't where Tim expected to be right now. After the excitement of Nationals and everything he had worked so hard for, I'm sure it's frustrating to have to back off and wait and watch others make the forward progress that you want to be making.

But this is just a pause. It's not the end of his story.

That quote says, "You can fake and buy a lot of things in life these days, but muscle and strength aren't one of them."

Tim has spent several years building his strength. He's put in the work when nobody was watching. He's learned that you don't get stronger by taking the easy road.

And maybe that's exactly what this season is teaching him too.

Because there are different kinds of strength.

There is physical strength.

There is mental strength.

And there is the kind of strength that comes from having to trust God when you don't have all the answers yet.

We don't know exactly what is going on with his elbow right now. We don't know how long this will take. We don't know what the MRI will show.

But we do know that God isn't surprised by any of it.

So for now, we wait. We do what the doctors tell us to do. We keep working the parts of his body that he can work. We keep moving forward instead of sitting still and feeling sorry for ourselves.

And we pray.

Because sometimes getting stronger doesn't mean adding another plate to the bar.

Sometimes getting stronger means learning how to keep going when you can't lift the bar at all.

This isn't the chapter we expected after Nationals, but it's the chapter we're in.

And we'll trust God with the rest.

Tim's Senior Yearbook

 Here are Tim's Senior Yearbook pages from Lighthouse Homeschool Association: 

I still can't believe that we aren't getting ready to go back to school again this year. It hasn't really sunk in yet, but I have a feeling it will once everyone else starts heading back to school.

Tim is taking a gap year.

When you say that, most people gasp because they immediately assume it means the person isn't going to pursue further schooling.

Honestly, I don't know what lies ahead for Tim. But I do know that whatever he chooses to do, he will be as focused and driven as he has always been.

We are so incredibly thankful for the blessing it has been to raise this incredible young man. To say we are proud of him is an understatement.

And yes, I know I said the word proud, and I know what the Bible says about pride. I promise you, that's not the kind of pride I'm talking about.

It's the kind of pride that comes from watching your child walk through hard things, learn from them, grow through them, and become someone you genuinely admire.

Tim has been through a lot in his young life. He's learned a lot, too.

He knows what kind of person he wants to be—and what kind of person he doesn't want to be.

He has dreams and goals that he is going after with all of his heart. And I don't believe there is any amount of anything anyone can say or do that will keep him from pursuing those dreams and goals.

For Tim, living a full life means living life on purpose and with purpose.

For him, being an elite athlete isn't just something he does. It's his job, his passion, and what he believes he was put on this earth to pursue. We believe he will continue to strive for greatness in athletics and in life.

And honestly, if he never accomplished another thing from this point forward, he could still look back on his life and know that he has already done more in his time on this earth than most people do in an entire lifetime.

And that's okay.

Everything hasn't always been great. There have been plenty of ups and downs along the way. But the man he is today makes us smile because when we look at him, we know we did something right.

I love the person he is.

I'd love the person he is even if he weren't our son.

He's just that good of a man.

And getting to watch him step into this next chapter of his life is something I don't take for granted.

I may not know exactly where this road is going to take him, but I know Tim.

And wherever he goes, whatever he does, he'll give it everything he's got.

A New Chapter in Weightlifting

A New Chapter in Weightlifting: The IWF’s New Weight Divisions Begin Tomorrow

Weightlifting is about to enter another new chapter.

Beginning tomorrow, August 1, 2026, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) will implement a new set of bodyweight categories for senior and junior competitions around the world. USA Weightlifting will also adopt these adjusted categories for sanctioned domestic competitions moving forward.

For those of us who follow the sport closely, these changes are more than just numbers on a chart. Weight classes can impact an athlete's training, nutrition, competition strategy, and even the direction of their career.

The New IWF Weight Divisions

For senior and junior men, the new categories will be:

60kg | 65kg | 70kg | 75kg | 85kg | 95kg | 110kg | +110kg

For senior and junior women, the new categories will be:

49kg | 53kg | 57kg | 61kg | 69kg | 77kg | 86kg | +86kg

These divisions will take effect at IWF competitions beginning August 1, 2026. Those in bold text are the Olympic Categories for the Olympic Teams. 

These new categories will help establish the weight classes that will be used for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. 

What Does This Mean for Athletes?

For some athletes, the changes may not make much difference at all.

For others, a few kilograms can completely change the game.

An athlete who has spent years competing in one weight class may suddenly find themselves deciding whether to stay where they are, move up, or work toward a new category. The difference between being at the top of one weight class and the bottom of another can affect everything from strength ratios to competition strategy.

And then there are athletes who have already had to navigate multiple changes in a relatively short period of time.

Our son, Tim, is one of those athletes.

He began 2025 competing in the 61kg category before having to move into the 67kg category (which was made the 65kg category in June of 2025 when IWF adjusted the categories). He wasn't, and neither was his coach, on the page of cutting down to 65kg, when he was in the top end of the 67kg category, so he made the hard decision to move, yet again, to the 71kg category. Now, another change is coming.

After August 1, the 71kg category will no longer exist. The new men's divisions will include 70kg and 75kg. 

That means another decision.

Does an athlete try to make 70kg? Do they continue to grow and compete at 75kg? What is best for their strength, development, health, and long-term goals?

Those are decisions that cannot be made simply by looking at a number on a scale.

Weightlifting Is About More Than a Weight Class

One thing I have learned watching Tim compete is that the number beside an athlete's name never tells the whole story.

It doesn't show the hours spent training.

It doesn't show the missed lifts, the injuries, the setbacks, the doubts, or the moments when an athlete has to decide whether to keep going.

It doesn't show the work that happens when nobody is watching.

And it certainly doesn't show the journey.

Tim has already had to learn how to adapt. He moved from Taekwondo into Olympic weightlifting. He changed weight classes. He competed at the national level. He experienced the disappointment of missing lifts and the joy of hitting personal records.

At the 2026 Junior National Championships, he walked onto the platform with something to prove—not to everyone else, but to himself.

He hit a personal record in the Clean & Jerk with 130kg, set a personal record total of 231kg, and became the Junior National Champion in his division.

Now, another change is coming.

And that is one of the lessons weightlifting continues to teach us: you cannot always control the circumstances around you. But you can control how you respond to them.

Every New Division Creates New Opportunities

Change can be frustrating.

Especially for athletes who have worked hard to build themselves into a particular weight class.

But change can also create opportunity.

A new weight division can give an athlete a fresh start. It can change the competition landscape. It can open the door for someone who may have previously been caught between categories.

Sometimes the path forward is not about forcing yourself to remain exactly where you are.

Sometimes the path forward is about taking a look at where you are, where you want to go, and what is best for the next stage of your journey.

That applies to weightlifting.

And honestly, it applies to life.

The Weight Class May Change. The Goal Doesn't Have To.

August 1 will bring another change to the sport of weightlifting.

There will be new categories.

New decisions.

New strategies.

New opportunities.

For athletes like Tim, the question will be whether 70kg or 75kg is the right path forward.

But regardless of what number appears beside his name, one thing will remain the same.

The work.

The discipline.

The determination.

The willingness to step onto the platform and give everything he has.

Because ultimately, the weight class is just a number.

The real measure of an athlete is found in the work they are willing to put in, the challenges they are willing to face, and how they respond when the path doesn't go exactly as planned.

Weightlifting has already taught Tim—and our entire family—that progress rarely happens in a straight line.

Sometimes the categories change.

Sometimes the goals change.

Sometimes the plan changes.

But the journey continues.

And I have a feeling this next chapter is going to be another exciting one.

It All Starts with Believing...

"If you don't believe in yourself, no one else will."

At first glance, that statement might sound harsh. After all, we all need encouragement from others. We need parents who cheer us on, coaches who teach us, teammates who support us, and friends who stand beside us.

But here's the truth...

None of those things can replace believing in yourself.

We've watched this firsthand with our son over the last several years. Whether it was competing in Taekwondo or now pursuing Olympic weightlifting, there has been one thing that has remained constant: his belief that he could become better than he was yesterday.

That belief didn't mean he thought success would come easily. Quite the opposite.

It meant showing up to practice when he was tired.

It meant getting back under the bar after a missed lift.

It meant trusting the process when progress seemed painfully slow.

It meant believing that one bad competition didn't define him.

When others saw a difficult lift, he saw an opportunity.

When others might have questioned if he could do it, he chose to believe he could.

That confidence didn't come from arrogance. It came from preparation.

Over time, something amazing happened.

The more he believed in himself, the more everyone around him believed in him too.

As parents, we saw the work he was putting in every single day. We saw the sore muscles, the sacrifices, and the determination. It became easy for us to believe in what he was capable of because he believed it first.

His coach believed in him enough to push him harder because he knew our son wasn't afraid of the challenge.

His teammates believed in him because they watched him refuse to quit. They saw someone who wasn't looking for shortcuts or excuses. They saw someone committed to becoming the best version of himself.

Belief is contagious.

When someone consistently works hard and refuses to give up, people naturally begin to rally behind them.

But it all starts with the person looking back in the mirror.

There were plenty of moments when the outcome was uncertain. There were competitions where things didn't go as planned. There were lifts that didn't go up. There were disappointments that could have convinced him to settle for less.

Instead, he chose to keep believing.

That belief eventually led to personal records that once seemed impossible.

It led to national medals.

It led to becoming a Junior National Champion.

Those accomplishments didn't begin on the platform.

They began long before anyone ever handed him a medal.

They began when he decided he was capable.

As Christians, though, we also recognize that believing in yourself isn't about placing all your faith in your own abilities. Real confidence comes from understanding who God created you to be.

Scripture reminds us:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Notice Paul doesn't say, "I can do all things because I'm talented."

He says his strength comes through Christ.

God gives us gifts, talents, opportunities, and the ability to grow. It's our responsibility to steward those gifts well by working hard, remaining teachable, and refusing to quit.

Believing in yourself means believing that God doesn't make mistakes.

It means trusting that if He has called you to something, He will equip you for it.

It means walking onto the platform, into the classroom, into the office, or into whatever challenge you're facing with confidence—not because you're perfect, but because God is with you.

People are naturally drawn to those who carry quiet confidence.

Not pride.

Not arrogance.

Confidence.

The kind of confidence that says, "I've prepared. I've worked. I'm trusting God with the outcome."

Our son's journey has reminded us of something we'll never forget.

Our encouragement mattered.

His coach's guidance mattered.

His teammates' support mattered.

But none of it would have taken root if he hadn't first chosen to believe he could become the athlete God created him to be.

The people around you can encourage you.

They can coach you.

They can open doors for you.

But they can't believe for you.

At some point, you have to decide that you're going to trust God, put in the work, and believe that you are capable of more than your fears tell you.

Because when you believe in yourself—and ultimately in the God who created you—you give others permission to believe in you too.

And sometimes, that's where the extraordinary journeys begin.

(I saw these on social media and wanted to share them here while making this blog post)

More Than a Coach...

"How you treat your athletes is a direct reflection of who you are as a coach."

That statement reaches far beyond sports.

It's easy to measure a coach by championships, trophies, or a winning record. Those accomplishments certainly have their place. Competition is meant to challenge us, teach discipline, and inspire excellence. But when the season is over and the medals are packed away, what remains?

The answer is simple: people.

Every athlete will eventually forget some of the scores, statistics, and even many of the games. But they'll never forget how their coach made them feel.

Did they feel encouraged or constantly torn down?

Did they feel like they mattered, even when they weren't the best player on the team?

Did they know someone believed in them when they doubted themselves?

Those are the moments that shape lives.

The Bible reminds us in Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men." Coaching is no exception. It's more than teaching fundamentals or developing physical ability. It's an opportunity to reflect Christ through patience, integrity, encouragement, and love.

A coach's words carry tremendous weight. One sentence can either build confidence or plant seeds of doubt that last for years. One act of kindness can change the trajectory of a young person's life. Every practice, every correction, every conversation is an opportunity to build character—not just athletic ability.

The greatest coaches understand that leadership isn't about demanding respect; it's about earning it.

It's found in being patient when an athlete struggles.

It's found in correcting without humiliating.

It's found in treating every athlete with dignity—not just the stars, but the ones who rarely hear their name announced or spend most of the game on the bench.

While my son competes in Olympic weightlifting, which is considered an individual sport, I've come to realize there really is no such thing as an athlete who succeeds entirely on their own. His name may be the only one on the platform, but every lift reflects the people who have invested in him along the way. His coach, his training partners, the encouragement they offer, the standards they uphold, and the culture they create all play a part in his success. You don't build great athletes in isolation—you build them through relationships. That's why great coaching matters just as much in an individual sport as it does in a team sport.

Jesus modeled this kind of leadership perfectly. He invested in people the world overlooked. He led with truth, but He also led with compassion. He challenged people to grow while never forgetting their value. That's the kind of leadership every coach should strive for.

Wins are exciting.

Championships are memorable.

Records are meant to be broken.

But character leaves a legacy.

Years from now, your athletes probably won't remember every drill you ran or every game plan you drew up. They will remember whether you showed up for them. They'll remember if you treated them with respect. They'll remember whether your actions matched your words.

As coaches, teachers, parents, pastors, employers—or anyone God has entrusted with influence—we should all ask ourselves one question:

Am I building performers, or am I building people?

Because one day the scoreboard will be forgotten, but the impact you made on someone's life will last for eternity.

"Let all that you do be done in love." — 1 Corinthians 16:14

More Than a Medal: The Reward of Choosing the Hard Road...

Athletic Lab made a post on instagram that I wanted to share with you all here:

More Than a Medal: The Reward of Choosing the Hard Road...

There are moments as a parent when you stop and realize just how far your child has come.

This week, Athletic Lab recognized Tim for becoming the 2026 USA Weightlifting Junior National Champion in one of the most competitive junior divisions in the country. Reading those words was incredibly humbling.

It would be easy to focus on the gold medal. It would be easy to celebrate the personal records—101kg (222 lbs.) in the snatch, 130kg (286 lbs.) in the clean & jerk, and a 231kg (509 lbs.) total. Those accomplishments deserve to be celebrated.

But the medal is only the final chapter of a much longer story.

Three years ago, Tim made one of the hardest decisions of his young life. After dedicating eleven years to Taekwondo and earning his 3rd Degree Black Belt, he chose to step away and start over in Olympic weightlifting.

Starting over isn't glamorous.

No one hands you success because of what you've done before. You become a beginner again. You have to learn new techniques, build new strength, earn the respect of new coaches, and prove yourself one lift at a time.

There were sore muscles, missed lifts, frustrating training sessions, and competitions that didn't go the way we hoped. There were moments when progress felt painfully slow.

Then there was last year's Junior Nationals.

Many people don't know that Tim actually blacked out and passed out on the competition platform after one of his lifts. It was a frightening moment that none of us will ever forget. Instead of allowing that experience to define him, he went right back out on that platform and made the lift he had blacked out on.

That's what champions do.

They don't let one bad day, one setback, or one scary moment determine the rest of their story.

This year, Tim returned to that same national stage—not just to compete, but to win.

He hit a lifetime personal record in the clean & jerk to secure the overall Junior National Championship.

What a difference one year can make.

One thing that has made this journey special is the people who have poured into him. Athletic Lab and Coach Jarrod Nobbe have believed in Tim, challenged him, and helped develop him into the athlete he is becoming. Great coaches don't simply produce stronger athletes—they help shape stronger people.

As proud as I am of the title, I'm even more proud of the young man behind it.

He's learned that success isn't built overnight. It's built in thousands of unseen moments when no one is watching. It's built by showing up when you're tired, staying humble when you win, and refusing to quit when things don't go your way.

Those lessons extend far beyond sports.

Whether you're chasing a dream, raising a family, growing a business, or simply trying to become the person God has called you to be, the path is remarkably similar.

You keep showing up.

You keep doing the work.

You trust God with the outcome.

Galatians 6:9 reminds us:

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Tim's gold medal didn't begin in Colorado Springs.

It began years ago with a decision to take the harder road.

It continued through every practice, every sacrifice, every disappointment, every personal record, and every lesson learned along the way.

The medal simply revealed what had already been forged long before he stepped onto the platform.

Sometimes the greatest victories aren't the ones hanging around our necks.

They're the character, perseverance, and faith that God builds within us while we're pursuing them.

And those are rewards that last a lifetime.

#OlympicWeightlifting #USAWeightlifting #JuniorNationalChampion #Faith #Perseverance #HardWork #NeverGiveUp #Parenting #AthleticLab #TrustGod

One Bold Move: How God Rewrote Our Son's Story...

One Bold Move: How God Rewrote Our Son's Story...

Three years ago this month, our family made one bold move that completely rewrote our son's story. After 11 years in Taekwondo, we walked away and stepped into a brand-new adventure: Olympic weightlifting.

It wasn't our decision—it was Tim's.

After all, it's his life.

We gave him the time and space to decide what he wanted to do next. When he told us he wanted to pursue Olympic weightlifting, I immediately went searching for the right coach and the right gym where he could grow and thrive.

When you have a child who is incredibly focused and driven, they'll stop at nothing to pursue their goals. But they also need the right people guiding them.

God led us to exactly that.

Tim's coach has been everything we could have hoped for. Not only has he invested in Tim, but he's also connected to Olympic-level coaching, giving us confidence that if Tim ever needs to take the next step, he'll be guided by someone who truly has his best interests at heart.

Even more than that, we've discovered an incredible community.

In Olympic weightlifting, people genuinely want to see one another succeed. They celebrate each other's victories, encourage one another through failures, and understand that every athlete is on their own journey. It's authentic, uplifting, and something we are incredibly thankful to be a part of.

Looking back, allowing our 15-year-old son to make what many would consider an "adult" decision wasn't easy.

But we listened.

We trusted him.

And we took the risk with him.

Many parents struggle to give their teenagers that kind of ownership over their lives, but we realized something important: one day Tim would have to live with the consequences of his decisions—not us. Our job wasn't to control every step. It was to guide him, pray for him, and support him as he learned to make wise choices.

That one decision changed everything.

Three years ago, our lives were filled with stress.

Today, there's peace.

In our previous athletic environment, there was constant pressure. If you didn't win gold, you often felt like you had failed—even if you stood on the podium. Sometimes even winning wasn't enough because someone always found something you should have done better.

Weightlifting has been completely different.

Here, every competition is another opportunity to learn.

When Tim misses a lift, his coach doesn't tear him down. He reminds him, "The lifts are coming. You'll make them."

Those words matter.

Instead of fear, there's confidence.

Instead of pressure, there's growth.

Instead of feeling defeated, there's hope.

A tremendous weight has been lifted from all of us.

Looking back, I honestly don't know how we stayed where we were for as long as we did. The only reason we did was because Tim still wanted to keep going at the time.

As a parent, hindsight is powerful. There are moments when I wish we had recognized sooner just how much it was affecting him and had been willing to walk away earlier. But God, in His perfect timing, allowed everything to unfold exactly when it needed to.

What felt like everything falling apart was actually God opening the door to something so much better.

Today, we have our son back.

He's genuinely happy in a way we haven't seen since before his competitive Taekwondo journey began.

He's become an incredible young man.

At just 18 years old, he's experienced challenges that have shaped him with a maturity far beyond his years, and we couldn't be more proud of the man he's becoming.

This year he accomplished one of his biggest goals.

He became a USA Weightlifting Jr. National Champion. 

Ironically, that dream didn't come true in the sport where we once imagined it would.

It came through having the courage to walk away and take an entirely different path.

If there's one lesson we've learned over these last three years, it's this:

One bold move really can rewrite your entire story.

Sometimes the greatest blessing isn't holding on tighter.

Sometimes it's having the faith to let go, trust God, and walk through the door He's opening.

Our son's life is living proof.

He took the risk.

And God wrote a better story than any of us could have imagined.

Maybe you're standing where we once stood.

Maybe you're exhausted from carrying the weight of a situation that no longer brings peace. Maybe you know something needs to change, but fear keeps whispering, "What if it doesn't work?" or "What if we make the wrong decision?"

I've learned that staying where God is no longer calling you can be far more costly than stepping into the unknown.

Change is rarely comfortable. It often requires courage, trust, and a willingness to leave behind what's familiar. But sometimes God uses those moments of uncertainty to lead us to places we never imagined possible.

If you're struggling today, don't let fear be the loudest voice you hear. Pray. Seek God's wisdom. Listen to the people He has placed around you. And when He makes the next step clear, have the courage to take it.

It may not happen overnight, and the path may not look anything like you expected. Ours certainly didn't.

But God is faithful.

Three years ago, we couldn't see what He was doing. Today, we can look back and see His fingerprints over every step of the journey.

Your story isn't over.

The chapter you're in today doesn't have to be the chapter that defines the rest of your life. God specializes in bringing beauty from brokenness, purpose from pain, and hope where it once seemed impossible.

So if He's calling you to make a bold move, trust Him.

The step you're afraid to take today may be the very step God uses to rewrite your story tomorrow.

Your Strongest Muscle Isn't Your Body—It's Your Mind...

Olympic weightlifting is often viewed as a test of strength. People see the heavy barbells, explosive lifts, and impressive numbers on the scoreboard and assume success belongs to the strongest athlete.

But anyone who has spent time in the sport knows that's only part of the story.

The truth is, your mind is either your biggest weapon or your biggest weakness. It's often the difference between good and great.

Every weightlifter has experienced it.

You walk up to the platform feeling confident. You've made the lift hundreds of times in training. The strength is there. The technique is there. But when your name is called and the clock starts, your greatest challenge often isn't the barbell—it's the battle taking place in your own mind.

Fear.

Doubt.

Pressure.

Expectation.

Those thoughts can become heavier than the weight on the bar.

The best lifters understand that success isn't just about building stronger legs, a stronger back, or a stronger pull. It's about developing a stronger mind. They learn to trust their preparation, stay composed after a missed lift, and refuse to let one bad attempt define an entire competition.

Our family experienced that lesson firsthand.

Last year at USA Weightlifting Nationals, Tim had one of the scariest moments we've ever experienced as parents. During his second clean & jerk attempt, he blacked out on the platform and collapsed after completing the lift. Watching your child lose consciousness in the middle of a national championship is something you never forget.

It would have been understandable if that moment had become the defining memory of Nationals for him but he got back up, came back out, and made that lift but unfortunately the clock was so close to running out that when he did the lift the judges called it a no lift.

It could have ended differently. It could have planted fear every time he approached a heavy clean.

It could have made him question whether he wanted to compete at that level again.

Instead, he chose to learn from it.

He trusted his coach, stayed committed to the process, continued training, and refused to let one frightening experience write the rest of his story.

One year later, he returned to Nationals—not carrying fear, but carrying confidence built through preparation.

This time, he stood on top of the podium as the Junior National Champion in his weight class.

The difference wasn't simply that he had become stronger physically.

His mindset had become stronger, too.

That's what separates good athletes from great ones.

Great athletes don't pretend failure never happens.

They don't avoid adversity.

They face it, learn from it, and come back better because of it.

Every missed lift, every disappointing meet, every injury, every setback becomes another opportunity to grow—not just as an athlete, but as a person.

As followers of Christ, we know our confidence ultimately isn't found in ourselves.

It's found in God.

Scripture reminds us:

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." — 2 Timothy 1:7

A sound mind doesn't mean you'll never feel nervous.

It means fear doesn't get the final say.

Whether you're attempting a personal record, stepping onto a national platform, or facing a challenge completely unrelated to sports, remember this:

Your mind can convince you to quit, or it can remind you why you started.

Feed it truth.

Train it with discipline.

Trust your preparation.

And place your confidence in the God who walks with you through both the victories and the setbacks.

Because sometimes the greatest victory isn't adding more weight to the bar.

Sometimes it's having the courage to step back onto the platform after life knocked you down.

And that's often the difference between being good... and becoming great.