Austin Lizzotte found a creative way to work on his senior capstone project.

Lizzotte, a Hall-Dale High School student and track and field athlete, decided to focus his project on powerlifting, a sport his father, Christopher, has been involved in with since the early 1990s.

“The first meet I competed in was for my senior project, on a topic of our choice,” Lizzotte said. “I wanted to get into it, just for fun. I thought it would be a great opportunity to do it as my senior project, too.”

A year later, that school project not only has progressed, it’s taking Hall-Dale senior to the USA Powerlifting High School Nationals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Lizzotte is scheduled to lift in the 190-pound division on Saturday night at 7. The events runs from April 4-7.

“I’m so excited,” Lizzotte said. “But it’s a little nerve-racking. For one, I don’t like heights, and we’re flying (to Baton Rouge).”

To reach nationals, Lizzotte needed to hit a total weight of 1,060 pounds in three lifts: bench press, squat and deadlift. Lizzotte qualified for nationals in December when he hit a total of 1,079 pounds at the Carrie Boudreau Big Pullooza, a USA Powerlifting sanctioned-meet in Farmington. He hit 451 pounds on squat, 236 pounds on bench and 392 pounds on deadlift.

“My squat has been the easiest. I feel like I’ve always had good squat form,” Lizzotte said. “It was easy to make smaller changes (in the lift). My deadlift was awful (at first), it was terrible. That was something I had to work on the most. My bench, too. That wasn’t as bad, but definitely my deadlift (was the worst).”

Hall-Dale senior Austin Lizzotte gets ready to squat during a recent powerlifting competition. Lizzotte is participating in the USA Powerlifting High School Nationals this weekend in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Contributed photo by Austin Lizzotte

“He’s got a great squat, but like me, the deadlift is not his favorite,” Christopher Lizzotte added. “Even though he’s not impressed by his bench, I’m more impressed by his bench because that should be his weakest (lift).”

Lizzotte, who previously played football for Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale before suffering a torn labrum in his shoulder during his junior year, began dabbling in powerlifting after recovering from his injury.

“He was already lifting a little bit (after surgery), but after that he knew he wouldn’t be able to play football again,” Christopher Lizzotte said. “He started lifting heavier and got into (powerlifting) a little more that way.

“About two years ago, I helped another Hall-Dale student, because I had been a powerlifting coach and a regional ref for USAPL. I helped him with his capstone (project), which was a slightly different topic, but was about powerlifting. I think that kind of gave Austin the idea to go this way.”

In order to focus on competing at nationals, Lizzotte had to take a short break from the Hall-Dale track and field team. Hall-Dale head coach Jarod Richmond said he’s been impressed with Lizotte’s dedication to the sport.

“It’s really cool (to see),” Richmond said. “To have a kid that’s dedicated himself to something that’s kind of off the beaten path, but that requires a tremendous amount of hard work and discipline, and then to get to go down to nationals, it’s just super cool to have a kid from our community do that.”

Lizzotte has been training with his coach, Shelby Downing, at Stand Strong Sports Performance in Farmington, roughly 40 miles from Lizotte’s home in Farmingdale. Lizotte said the payoff is well worth the drive.

“There’s a good family of people there, I love everyone that I lift with,” Lizzotte said. “None of them (tick) me off. All of them are super supportive. It’s super nice going out there and lifting with a bunch of friends.”

Hall-Dale senior Austin Lizzotte will compete at the USA Powerlifting High School Nationals this weekend in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

Christopher Lizzotte said he wants his son to discover his own path within the sport.

“We walk that fine line to the point that, I know that he will listen to another coach before me,” Christopher Lizzotte laughed. “That’s why I pointed him to Shelby to be his coach. She and I are like minds when it comes to powerlifting and technique, how you prepare. It’s always fun to watch a younger generation discover something.”

Austin Lizzotte said he plans to continue powerlifting in college. After nationals, he’ll take a break from the sport to focus on his track season at Hall-Dale. Lizzotte competes in the discus, shot put and the 4×100 relay with the Bulldogs. Lizzotte said his powerlifting has helped with his throws. Last spring, Lizotte finished third in the shot put at the Mountain Valley Conference championships with a throw of 40 feet, 7 inches.

“I’m super excited (for track),” Lizzotte said. “I’ve definitely seen a 4-foot improvement (on the shot put), which is crazy.”

“I think he had some breakthrough moments through the end of the season last year,” Richmond added. “Any time that one of our athletes can take something, outside of track, and translate that into success for track, I think that will inspire other athletes to look into some of those things… I think he comes in with the right attitude and the right focus and I think the sky’s the limit for him this season.”

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