A Note from my Dad

Dear friends,

As most of you already know Amanda became the first athlete in our sport to win 7 World Championships in one year in 2006. Last year was a very tough schedule both physically and mentally for her, having competed 27 times in one year in our sport is crazy most young athletes do no more that 3-5 meets a year and us old folks are lucky to do one or two meets in a year. Most of her competitions last year were simply used as training and we would rest during the week, that is the only way she survived the tough schedule. This year is completely different but the meets we have picked to lift in are huge.

Amanda started training for her first meet back before Christmas. Her goal was to move up in weight to the 123lb weight class for 2007. This weekend is her first full meet of the year and it's a HUGE MEET! This is the WPO Finals the only Pro-Division in Powerlifting and at 15 Amanda is lifting in this show for the second time. To make things even more exciting Amanda has to date 5 Photo-Shoots lined up with various fitness industry magazines to include Muscular Development. There is also a good chance that National Geographic will be conducting an interview and filming some of Amanda at the event. On Sunday Amanda is in for the surprise of a lifetime. She is lifting in the Squat-Off which is the top 10 squatters in the World square off on the main stage and Squat for $1000.00 for the biggest squat of the day. Last year Amanda was the only female on the main stage with all the big guys and she was a huge hit with the crowd. Well she's back again this year but following the Squat-Off there is a big surprise for Amanda. Mr. Lorimer( the man that produces the Arnold Sports Festival) will be presenting her with a Crystal Athletic Achievement Award and on that award it will identify Amanda as the youngest athlete to ever be inducted into the Texas Powerlifting Hall of Fame and Texas Athlete of the year for 2006.

There are several more exciting things lined up but have not been set in stone as of yet. This should be a weekend that Amanda, her mother and I will never forget. I want to thank some people for helping us make this happen for Amanda. Her first and longest sponsor John Inzer, her Doctor and his staff at his clinic, Dr. Edward Group and the Global Healing Center, Mr.Tim Bruner President of Texas Powerlifting Hall of Fame, K. Kidder President of the WPO for allowing Amanda to compete on his Pro-stage with the best lifters on the Planet!, Danny & Melissa Dettwiller for her working with Amanda in Modeling and she is our web master, Dan Ray for the awesome photo-shoots, Tiny Meeker for his assistance in training her in his gym. A special thanks goes to the crew at the Arnold Sports Festival, Mr. Jim Lorimer, Ms. Suzanne Irwin and the man himself the Honorable Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for believing in Amanda and her abilities!!

I will follow up with a letter when we return home.
Sincerely
Mark Van Harris