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Hernando Today

Blount: Following her sister's footsteps

GIRLS WEIGHTLIFTING

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Hernando High senior Melinda Blount

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: February 12, 2009

Two years ago, Hernando High weightlifter Valerie Blount competed in the state meet.
Now her younger sister Melinda takes her turn Saturday on the same state level.
The Hernando senior joins two other Leopard lifters competing in the annual Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) State Girls Weightlifting Tournament at River Ridge Middle/High School in New Port Richey.
"One of her goals was to follow in her sister's footsteps and make the state tournament. And this year she achieved her goal," explained Hernando High's first-year Head Coach Shawn Bingham about Melinda.
Blount, who enters the state meet seeded 26th in the 129-pound weight class, spent most of her prep career playing basketball before becoming a weightlifter.
"I was on the basketball teams in both my freshmen and sophomore years, but because the two sports happen at the same time, I could never come out for the team," she said. "I would try to lift every day, but I wasn't getting any better."
Blount said she got into the sport mainly because of her sister.
"She was two years ahead of me but it's not just that I like weightlifting, it's that my sister did it," she added. "Every year she did it and I would think, 'Hey, I can do that. She's been my inspiration.'"
After qualifying third at the Region V meet in Belleview finishing in third place behind a 125-pound bench press and 120-pound clean-and-jerk, Blount is determined to improve on her 26th place pre-tournament standing in Pasco County.
"Oh yes, that ranking is not really what I can do," said the Hernando senior. "When I was at regionals I was going for 265 pounds total, but they scratched me on one lift. I didn't lose confidence when it happened; I was just trying to do what the judge wanted. It affected my balance and threw me all off."
Asked if she had talked with her sister about what to expect in the state meet, Blount said she had.
"She told me about weighing in," recalled Blount. "She said you want to weigh in as light as you can and then bring it and do the best you can."
She also admitted that she had no trouble not playing basketball this year.
"It wasn't in my heart to do basketball this year," Blount said. "I pushed myself every day to do better and I had a goal to go to states."
Besides being seeded 26th in her weight class, Blount hopes that by improving her weight by 10 pounds in both the bench press and clean-and-jerk, she can do way better than that.
"I'm not really nervous about Saturday, but I want to go 135 pounds in both and maybe even place in the top 12," said the optimistic Blount. "My sister's motivated me and she's really excited because this is my first state meet."

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