UNIVERSITY PARK — The stands at Penn State’s lacrosse field were filled to capacity with Nittany Lion football fans of all ages July 16 in support of the 14th annual Lift for Life.
The event is sponsored by the nonprofit organization Uplifting Athletics. Founded in 2003 by Scott Shirley, the group’s goal is to fight rare diseases, raise money for those who battle such medical issues and inspire everyone to help out in any way possible.
Year after year, the Penn State football team does its part to aid in combating rare diseases by performing a well-organized workout and competition to raise funds and awareness. In 2016, multiple athletes took the initiative to lead Penn State’s current chapter.
“It never gets old because you see the same people, which is like a great family reunion,” said Shirley. “You get to see the new guys that have stepped up and taken on this role and (you) get to watch them grow.
“(Seeing the impact on players) is what makes it worth it.”
President Garrett Sickels, along with Ryan Bates, Jason Cabinda, Tom Devenney, Trace McSorley, Andrew Nelson, Brandon Bell, Joe Berg, Brian Gaia, Gregg Garrity, Evan Schwan, Grant Haley and Charlie Shuman, have shown tremendous leadership in the fight against rare diseases.
“We pride ourselves on more than just football,” said Nelson. “(We love) giving back to the community and we think our program is defined by more than just wins and losses.”
“It is a great cause coming out here to raise money for rare diseases,” said Bates.
All of the players met in the middle of the field before taking part in the lifting and skills competitions. This year’s Lift for Life included six drills: the 225-pound bench press, the overhead press, the farmer’s carry, an obstacle course, a tire-flip race and the sled pull and push. After the players cycled through these workouts seven times, the team concluded with a tug-of-war.
The team was divided into offense and defense, with the offensive players wearing white and the defensive players wearing blue. Each competition matched up a teammate from both offense and defense to see who could out-lift the other.
The workouts were intense, as both the offense and defense would not give in to their opposing teammates. Neither side dominated the competitions, with both splitting many of the drills when the series concluded.
The farmer’s carry was filled with excitement and suspense when the players stepped in to battle against one another. In the first round, rising sophomore and star running back Saquon Barkley took on Koa Farmer.
The two picked up heavy weights in each arm and competed until one dropped theirs to the ground. All eyes were on Barkley, and the anticipation was peaking before his weights fell to the ground and Farmer scored one for the defensive side.
In a later round, defensive tackle Kevin Givens and offensive lineman Derek Dowrey matched up against one another in the farmer’s carry. Dowrey stood still as he stared down his teammate. The intimidation got to Givens and he dropped the weights giving the offense the momentum.
The players were having just as much fun as the fans watching their fellow teammates participate in the drills. Players cheered, jeered and heckled others during the competitions and were enjoyable to watch being animated on the sidelines.
On the other side of the field, incoming freshmen led workouts for children. Kids could be seen catching passes, tackling dummies and learning from future Penn State football players.
To finish the Lift for Life, players squared off in a tug-of-war featuring positional battles. The wide receivers faced off against the defensive backs, the running backs took on the linebackers and the lineman battled it out, as well.
The offensive line won the first match, but linebackers were hungry for a victory. They decimated the running backs and tight ends, before being challenged to a rematch. The linebackers did not let up, and won the second round with ease.
After the receivers defeated the defensive backs, the freshmen competed in the last tug-of-war. It was a sight to see, as the rest of the team suddenly joined in and started harassing their young teammates by pulling them off the rope and forcing them to mess up.
Following the conclusion of drills and a resounding thank you from Uplifting Athletics to everyone who contributed, the players remained to sign autographs for eager fans.
