The Durant High School boys powerlifting team received state title rings during a banquet last week at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Center & Library.
Last spring, the team won the Oklahoma State Powerlifting Class 5A title.
“This was the first DHS boys state team title in 42 years since the 1983 Lions Football Team,” said powerlifting coach Mike Dills. “Durant boys powerlifting team finished first place with 54 points in front of El Reno who finished in second place with 47 points. The team would like to thank the Durant Athletic Booster Club and the Choctaw Nation for their support.” Dills thanked many people for the banquet, including Choctaw Tribal Council Member James Dry. The Choctaw Nation provided funds to purchase the rings and helped feed the team during the state meet.
“I want to thank Durant Booster Club because they took care of the other half of the rings for the guys,” Dills said. “So, between the Booster Club and the Choctaws, rings were taken care of. The rings were taken care of before I even got back to Durant that night.”
He also thanked coach Shawn McClellan.
“I’m the only one that gets paid for powerlifting,” Dills said. “That started when I came to Durant. Coach McClellan doesn’t get paid to do powerlifting. He does it because he loves it like he loves the boys.”
Dills said one reason for powerlifting is to make the team members stronger for football.
“For football first, then as we get stronger, then I tell them it will take care of itself powerlifting wise at the meets,” Dills said. “Here’s the thing: I’ve done powerlifting for 27, 28 years in Texas. It’s the best way for a young man to get to feel good about himself. I take a lot of pride in this.”
According to Dills, powerlifting gives the young men the opportunity to do things they don’t think they can actually do which carries over not only to football, but at home and school.
“The boys, they mean the world to me,” Dill said. “I would do it if I didn’t get paid. “Tonight is basically to celebrate because they don’t realize what they did. You got to be lucky. I’ve got five state rings and all of them are basically luck. I got a football, two tracks, a girls powerlifting. The only one I didn’t have is the boys powerlifting, but I got it now and had to come back home to do it and there’s a lot of luck, but there’s a lot of work in that also and we talk about it every day.
“With a little bit of luck, hopefully, we’re doing this again next year. I’m proud of them and I just want you to know I think the world of them and I think the world of you, the parents for letting me have the opportunity to work with them.”
