Senior Spotlight

Weyauwega-Fremont has built a nationally recognized powerlifting program with several state championships in the trophy case. Team captain Ariana LoSchiavo has kept the Warhawks’ proud tradition alive with success at the state and national levels.

Ariana started lifting at 12 years old, but did not begin competing on the powerlifting team until her sophomore year when she turned 16 and made an immediate impact. “My career highlight probably had to be when I competed at the national level for powerlifting and placed 13th in the nation. I qualified for nationals at state; this was during my first year of powerlifting as well.”

A four-sport athlete, Ariana has found success when she competes. “This last year, I was captain for my varsity volleyball team. I played libero. For my powerlifting season, I am one of the captains and a coach within the gym setting. In track I compete in our 4x100, 4x200, pole vault, 100 meter dash. In flag football, my positions are wide receiver, safety, and running back.”

Powerlifting wasn’t always Ariana’s number one passion as she started her athletic journey in another sport. “This wasn’t always my favorite sport before I fell in love with powerlifting. My favorite sport was volleyball. I started playing when I was 6 years old, just helping my sister practice in the backyard.”

Competing for multiple teams, Ariana has learned the importance of balancing athletics and academics during her time in high school, “It isn’t always the easiest being able to balance academic demands with having to worry about practice and sporting events as well, but with all the support from my coaches and teachers I have been able to work through assignments either in extended learning time, class period, or on the bus ride to my sporting events. Sometimes I would have a break in between when I had to compete and when other competitions were happening, so I would take the time in between to work on homework as well.”

Ariana’s love of the powerlifting culture has kept her around the sport. “My favorite part about powerlifting honestly isn’t the lifting part; it’s the community aspect with it. Every competition, I can just remember praying with a bunch of people I have never met before and just having everyone support me to get my PR’s. Honestly, that has to be why I have stuck with it for so long. I have to thank my coaches; even in the hard times, my coach Mr. Fee was always there to pray with me or even just work me through how to get after it.”

The ability to consistently set the bar higher for herself each time she competes has made her time lifting memorable for her, “My most memorable moment would have to be when I got my first best deadlift PR at Neenah, which qualified me for state my sophomore year. I lifted 275 for deadlift, and it was crazy because it was a lift I was fighting for the whole year and just being able to hug and thank my coaches for all the support was truly amazing.”

The support that Ariana has received from coaches and teammates has made her grateful for her time at Weyauwega-Fremont, ”Honestly I could give a shout-out to all of my coaches and old teammates because they have all been a huge support to my growth over these years. Honestly, Emma Hansen, a former teammate in powerlifting, I have to give her a lot of credit for how far I have come as a person; she constantly inspires me every day. My stepdad Dennis Hansen he always made it a point to be at every single game, and even watch back old games to look for improvement he may not be an official coach in a sport but he has always been a coach for my life. For coaches, I would say my old volleyball coach Brian McCoy, my powerlifting coach Pat Fee, my track coach Nick Winn, and my Flag football coach Michael Hansen. They have all given me so much guidance within these last couple of years of competing and working through my mental health, and I don’t know where I would be without all this support.”