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SHS' Kuhn: Morphs from cheerleader to weightlifter

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Lindsay Kuhn

By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: February 14, 2009

Springstead senior Lindsay Kuhn does not have your regular resume as it comes to weightlifting.
The Springstead senior is part of a trio of Eagle lifters who will take part in the 6th annual State Championship Saturday, but becoming a weightlifter happened earlier for Kuhn.
"My cheerleading coach in my sophomore year had a lot of the girls lifting weights, and that's how I got started on it," she said.
Kuhn finished third at the 101-pound weight class in the Section V meet in Belleview when she lifted 90 pounds in the bench press and 110 in the clean-and-jerk to make her first state tournament appearance.
"I've improved so much with Coach (Mike) Garofano's help, he's been pushing me through this," Kuhn said. "I've probably improved by 85 pounds since I started."
With the tournament being held at River Ridge, Kuhn is looking forward to the meet and having her parents, Frances and William, there cheering her on.
"They are so proud of me," Kuhn said. "My dad asks a lot of questions and wants to know what I'm doing, but I know they're 100 percent behind me."
Last year in the regional meet, Kuhn had the misfortune to not make weight before the tournament.
"It looked like she might have made the state tournament last year, so it's kind of nice for her to make it this year after what happened to her," Garofano added.
Although Kuhn is seeded 19th in the 101-pound class, her coach believes that she can make a large leap in the standings.
"We've looked at the totals online and I think with a good day she can end up in the top 10," said Coach Garofano.
Kuhn also admitted she is a bit nervous about the prestigious meet.
"I'm just going in and do the best I can and let the competition push me," she said. "I'm going to try and do the best I can and get my personal best. Some of the girls in my weight class have some really high totals so I just want to do the best I can."