Chopper CrossFit lifters take home top prize at powerlifting competition

WORLAND - Chopper CrossFit gym members Anna Fetter and Alejandra Rice competed at the Mountain West Wyoming state powerlifting competition, in Laramie on June 18, and are now the state champions in their respective weight classes.

For Rice and Fetter entering the competition was a spur of the moment decision that was encouraged by their coach Randall Homan.

"We were lifting one day and I noticed that the two of them were lifting quite a bit," said Homan, who is also the owner of Chopper CrossFit, "I thought we should enter in a powerlifting competition. We looked it up online, found one that was a month away and now they're state champions."

Fetter, a mother of five, and Rice, a soon to be freshmen at Worland High School, showed that you don't have to settle into preconceived notions. As Homan puts it "There's always that self-doubt when you start something new. Yet, when you're put on the spot to perform you can feel all the self-doubt and preconceptions go away and your confidence rises."

For Fetter lifting to her is more about becoming a better mother to five children. "I think it makes me a better mom. Before I started lifting I didn't have the energy to keep up with my kids. Then when I started to lift and be more active, I've noticed that I can keep up with the kids," said Fetter.

For Rice, who also set state records in her weight class and is the niece of Homan, lifting has helped her become a better athlete and a way to let loose. "It makes me a better person because I can take all my stress and let it all out in my lifts. I've also noticed that lifting has helped me in my other sports like swimming and volleyball," said Rice.

Homan put the entire achievement on Fetter and Rice and went as far as to say, "As a coach I didn't do much, these two ladies were the ones who killed it and now they're champions. All I said was what weight to lift."

Homan's comment was met with scoffs and eye rolls from Fetter and Rice, "You did much more than that," said Fetter to Homan.

The camaraderie between lifters and coach is obvious as well as the gym pride all three have. "It helps to have that gym accreditation. I call all my athletes champion but with these two they're literally champions. And as an owner you want your members to succeed, it's a bigger thing and a proud moment," said Homan.

The two lifters and their coach have already set their sights on the next competition that will be at Casper in the month of October.