Southern Powerlifting Club was formed when Steve and Mary Giffin (nee Medved) moved home from inner city Sydney to bayside Melbourne after the 1998 Australian Championships. Victoria's powerlifting landscape in '98 was framed by a small number of clubs such as Melbourne University Powerlifting, Pyramid Powerlifting Club, Colac Powerlifting Club and Mildura Powerlifting Club. In the decade since Southern's inception we have contributed greatly to the foundation laid by the above clubs and have become an integral part of the fabric of Victorian powerlifting.
1998 - 2003
BodyWorld Gymansium in Balaclava was host to Southern from 1998, with our numbers slowly increasing in an environment that was well set out for lifters. There were multiple power racks and platforms available and plenty of bars and Olympic plates as well. Good friendships were formed and good performances on the platform ensued. After many years at the same venue we saw the need arise relocate to an environment that was more suited to our growing needs.
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Joe Medved pulling 235 @ 90 at Vics, 2002 |
Eva Richards at Broadmeadows comp, 2004 |
2004
Colts Fitness Centre in Prahran hosted the club for a short stay until it became apparent that the equipment available was not suited to the needs of powerlifters. Heavy training safety was being compromised by plates with variances in weight as great as +/- 2.5 kilos. After speaking with management regarding the potential risk and being dismissed we determined that this was not the place for us.
LivingWell Health Club at Hilton Melbourne Airport was another temporary training venue for us although this was for bench press sessions only. The centre was not equipped with squat racks or deadlift facilities due to its location on the fifth floor of a five star hotel. I'm sure that guests would not have appreciated the noise from heavy deadlifts. The club included a swimming pool, sauna and steam room, not to mention access to the restaurant and bar on the floor below. Not the usual location for a powerlifting club but as Steve was the manager at the time this was an offer too good to refuse even if it was just for benching. The excursion was valuable in many ways not the least of which was the recruitment of Julian Marin who was responsible for the early development of the website and T Shirt design (thanks Jules).
2004 - Current
After a recommendation by a friend, the club landed on the doorstep of the Muscle and Body Shape Gymnasium in Richmond. MBS is know as one of Victoria's (and Australia's) premier body sculpting gyms with many national and international champions calling it home. George Tabban and his Manager (son Michael) were cautious at first, but have since welcomed us to the MBS family even though our rather fuller and whiter figures are diametrically opposite to the tanned body sculptors that MBS are known for!
We are a small club and are proud of our achievements over the years. We have produced international and national champions, international and national record holders, Australian team members, sport administrators and national level referees and coaches.
Our proudest achievement is that we have introduced many people to powerlifting and powerlifting to many more! We have gained a lot from powerlifting as individuals and as a club and we give back to the sport in turn. We contribute!
Southern's story so far would be incomplete without a list of the individuals who have contributed to our history. We acknowledge lifters who have stood on the platform as members of Southern Powerlifting Club as well as those who have aided us at training and in competition by their commitment and support, without having been lifters themselves.
Historical Roll Call:
Steve
Giffin
Mary Giffin
Joe
Medved
Joanna
Bradley
Simon
Birch
Eva
Richards
Scott
Upston
Bill
Bradley
Jason
Spear
Greg
McGuiness
Paul
Tesoriero
Tony
Tesoriero
Julian
Marin
Helen
Marin
James
Santi
Rikki Flanders
Stephen
Pritchard
Angus
Thompson-Pritchard
Alan
Maddick
Amy
Thompson
Mike
Jenkins
Yoji
Tomita
Ryan
Mitchell
Matthew
Scott
Tim
Germanchis
Richard
Spriggs
Matt Lang
Michael Hansen
Glenn Spooner
Brad Senese
Jennifer Willcock
Evgeny Rokhlin
Simon Chan
James Rentschler
Julia Borissova
Travis Webb
Mami Tomita
Vicki O'Brien
Debbie Hawker
Dylan Agius
Jasmine Higgs