Once a volleyball and tennis player, looking to become the best version of herself, to now a dedicated future collegiate powerlifter aiming to go to her dream college. Alexa’s journey and dedication to not only the sport of powerlifting but also her future dreams is nothing short of admirable.

For Alexa, a senior attending GEHS, getting into powerlifting was once just a way to stay busy during the off-season, a spontaneous choice that unexpectedly changed her life.

“I wanted a way to better myself, and I needed a sport to do in the winter at the time,” Alexa said. “A lot of my friends told me to get into it, so it was kind of an impulse decision at first, but I realized I loved it.”

It was her newfound love of the sport that pushed Alexa to give everything she had to it, and eventually give up her other sports with the hope of pursuing powerlifting at the next level.

“It’s what I wanted to do throughout college, so I dropped everything else to give my 100% and dedicate myself to the season,” Alexa said. “Once I had really started lifting and getting into it, I lost my passion for everything else.”

With college in mind, Alexa has kept her door open to Ottawa University, a school she’s been interested in since her sophomore year for its strong athletic program and facilities. Yet as she’s gotten older where she wishes to go for college has become dependent on what she wishes to pursue. 

“It kind of depends on lifting or what I’d want to major in, at least for lifting, I’d probably want to go to Ottawa,” Alexa said.

Once she makes it to college, Alexa hopes to pursue a degree in either business or finance, though she’s also expressed interest in an accounting career.

“I’m good with numbers and that kind of stuff, it just makes sense in my head, and I grew up having to help my dad with spreadsheets and stuff, so I kind of have experience in all that,” Alexa said.

To Alexa, powerlifting is more than just picking up metal bars with weights and moving them in a specific way, rather, it’s a time to burn away any stress or anxiety she might be facing, and a way to be around others in their tightly knit community. 

“Its an escape from reality. It’s a time throughout the day that I get to go lift and take my mind off things that stress me,” Alexa said. “The thing I like about it most is the atmosphere. We have one of the most uplifting teams here in the high school, especially the girls. Everyone is just focused on trying to help each other out. Nobody hates each other.”