Lifting labor of love for James

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Mike James isn’t your typical high school weightlifter.

For starters, lifting is his sport. He doesn’t do it to get in shape for football or basketball, nor does he participate in any other sport during the fall or winter.

He also has to wear special knee pads to combat Osgood-Schlatter disease, which sends pain rippling through his knees.

James also knows there is more to lifting than brute strength. He can tell you when and how calisthenics came about, and what made the Russians so effective during the Summer Olympics of the 1970s.

(It was the Russian conjugate method.)

Oh, and he’s good, too. A state-qualifier last year, James, a senior at Palmetto, totaled 650 pounds to win the 219-pound class during Tuesday’s county meet.

Braden River took the team title with 58 points.

“I train year-round for this,” James said. “The thing that I really like is seeing how strong I really am.”

James is a well-rounded lifter — he knows how much of a role technique and lung capacity play in the bench press, which James topped out at 375 pounds Tuesday.

“It’s not just hold it,” he said. “I wish I could try and explain it to a lot of people.

“I’ve got tons of books — motivational books. Any time of training, any type of sport period — 90 percent of it is mental.”

James wants to share his expertise with others. He wants to be a personal trainer, and will pursue an associate’s degree in exercise science at the State College of Florida. He also hopes to be a certified trainer by the end of the summer.

The Pirates beat Lakewood Ranch (52) by six points thanks to first-place finishes by Chris Wong (119), Guillermo Arguellas (154), Sharrod Neasman (169) and Tevin Bryant (238). The Pirates had nine top-three finishers Tuesday.

Mustangs Derek Jowiakowski (129), Mike Myers (183) and Steve Birakis (199) won titles, as did Manatee’s Alex Simone (139) and Drakkar Wilson (unlimited). The Hurricanes were third with 37 points.

James helped Palmetto place fourth with 35 points, and Southeast was fifth with 24 points, followed by Bayshore (19 points).

After the regular season wraps, Bayshore, Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Manatee and Palmetto will compete in the Class 2A-Section 7 state-qualifying meet Saturday, April 10 at Venice. Southeast will be in the Class 1A-Section 8 meet April 9 at Avon Park.

@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:At Lakewood Ranch

County weightifting meet

Team scores

1. Braden River (BR) 58, 2. Lakewood Ranch (LR) 52, 3. Manatee (M) 37, 4. Palmetto (P) 35, 5. Southeast (S) 24, 6. Bayshore (B) 19.

@z-BR Agate Bold Centered:Individual results (Top three receive medals)

119 pounds — 1. Chris Wong (BR) 175-195-370, 2. Kyle Carter (LR) 205-165-370, 3. David Pasqual (S) 155-140-295.

129 — 1. Derek Jowiakowski (LR) 170-160-330, 2. Josh Punter (P) 170-155-325, 3. Taren Cotton (M) 175-135-310.

139 — 1. Alex Simone (M) 255-195-450, 2. Alex Valley (BR) 210-180-390, 3. Ludger Denis (S) 195-190-385.

154 — 1. Guillermo Arguellas (BR) 245-245-490, 2. Anthony Asay (LR) 250-215-465, 3. Tyler Pittman (S) 225-220-445.

169 — 1. Sharrod Neasman (BR) 235-235-470, 2. Jacob Goodwin (LR) 245-225-470, 3. Tyler Linde (BR) 245-210-455.

183 — 1. Mike Myers (LR) 345-250-595, 2. Taylor Shipley (M) 300-235-535, 3. Kaleb Deedrick (BR) 255-235-490.

199 — 1. Steve Birakis (LR) 375-335-710, 2. Josh Spence (BR) 290-275-565, 3. Waymon Bowden (S) 290-230-520.

219 — 1. Mike James (P) 375-275-650, 2. Kyle Riley-Hawkins (LR) 350-240-590, 3. Jacob Campos (M) 290-240-530.

238 — 1. Tevin Bryant (BR) 345-305-650, 2. Mike Lintz (B) 290-250-540, 3. Rickeem Cheeves (P) 305-215-520.

Unlimited — 1. Drakkar Wilson (M) 335-260-595, 2. Alec Jones (LR) 285-260-545, 3. Mike Pulawski (BR) 305-235-540.