Catoosa High School Begins New Powerlifting Program

There's a new sport in town at Catoosa High School.

Stony Burt is the first-year coach of the first-year Catoosa High School powerlifting program.

"We got some really amazing kids here. We got a lot of kids that are interested in it," said Burt. "Gym's full of energy, it's just awesome to see people supporting somebody that they don't even know."

Like any other sport, powerlifting keeps score and has a winner.

Perhaps more than other sports, the biggest victories don't count towards the total.

"Self improvement. Self improvement. Because it basically improves mental health, it improves physical health, improves the way you see yourself, attitude, everything. It improves everything," said Shane Sanders, Catoosa sophomore.

Sanders doesn't play other sports and has never lifted competitively before joining Catoosa's team.

"I was just really nervous, tell you the truth. Lot of anxiety, man. But suddenly, I just gave it a shot and went along. Been there ever since," said Sanders.

"What this sport does is it gives these kids that maybe they don't play a sport in the winter, or maybe they don't play sports at all, but this gives them something else to go out and compete in and have some success in," said Burt.