Pace High School Weightlifting Teams

     The Pace Patriots Men’s Weightlifting Team gave an impressive showing of strength and mental toughness at the most recent state meet in Lakeland. They brought a total of 12 lifters. Four came away with at least one medal. Senior, Jayson Alford, won the state title in both the Olympic and traditional 199-pound weight classes.  He was able to lift 580 pounds total in Olympic, then 665 overall in traditional. 

    “For four years, that had been my ultimate goal – to win state one day,” Alford said. "I was so focused on winning since I have been so close in the past. It's really all I could think about and unbelievable that it actually happened.” 

    On the other spectrum, the Lady Patriots have come full circle from last year's runner-up finish to this year's title as state champions. Over the past four years, the Girl’s Weightlifting team went from no one qualifying for state to four qualifying this year. In February, the Lady Patriots traveled to Lakeland and took home the state title in Class 3A Traditional Weightlifting.  The team scored 30 points, which was two more than the second-place Winter Springs team.  

    "Our emphasis in all the big meets this year was that every girl and every point mattered to our team,” Coach Wise told the local newspaper. "It's especially big when you win by two points. It was a true team victory." 

Pace High School’s mission is to provide, through the arena of athletic competition, the development of mind, body, and spirit. They stress a commitment to excellence based upon the principles of sportsmanship, integrity, hard work and discipline. And that is just what they have proven through their weightlifting program this school year.