His veins are popping out of his arms. His body is shaking with sweat. He uses all his strength to raise the bar. SLAM! One rep for the second annual Falcon Friends Bench Press Competition! The competition is around the corner happening in November! The money raised will go to support the Davenport West High Falcon Friends and Arc of Southwest Iowa Bill Reagan Scholarship Fund.

“My favorite thing was lifting the weights,” senior Matthew Farrell said.

This event takes place on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 10:00 a.m. at West High School. Competitors will weigh-in and warm-up from 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. The competition consists of three attempts for a one rep maximum. There are eight classes: 100 pounds, 125 lbs, 150 lbs, 175 lbs, 200 lbs, 225 lbs, 250 lbs and 275 lbs and above. If there are less than five participants in a weight class, participants will be moved to the next class. The divisions are teen male, teen female, adult male and adult female.There will be awards handed out at the end of the competition awarding a medal to first, second and third place in each weight division. There will be additional first place trophies given to overall best lifter in the teen and the adult divisions.This is a raw (t-shirt only) bench press competition. A brief rules meeting will be held at 9:15 a.m. that morning. Lifters are only allowed wrist wraps and lifting belts. The competition has a small entry and t-shirt fee for a total price of $15.00. The proceeds will benefit the Falcon Friends of Davenport West.

“It made me feel happy and good [to know that people were here supporting Falcon Friends],” Farrell said, referring to last year’s competition.

The proceeds will also benefit the Arc of Southwest Iowa Bill Reagan Scholarship Fund which supports students intending to major in special education or social work, and individuals with disabilities pursuing post-secondary education. For more information or questions contact Stephanie Reagan Iavarone at (563)723-5600 ext. 320 or [email protected].

“I think the competition is really fun and everyone should participate because it is for such a great case,” senior, Madisen Ford said.