It was a busy year, including a family move from Iowa to Arizona, eleven violin recitals, multiple open and high school diving meets, 30 world powerlifting records in five national/world meets, more than a dozen Feats of Strength and combine records, two diving camps and skeleton driving school in Utah, Phew!
Welcome, 2015!
January
Begins 2014 in Orlando, Florida, attending Mark Ruiz’s YMCA holiday springboard diving camp
Dr. Diane Preston-Reilly and film crew of “The Real Winning Edge” television show visit Evan in Des Moines for two days, filming an episode
Travels to Dania Beach, Florida for Revolution Powerlifting Syndicate (RPS) Florida Record Breakers Powerlifting, and sets four world records in the Raw Modern, 148 lb. class with lifts of 305 lbs. in the squat, 175 lbs. in the bench press, 360 lbs. in the deadlift, and a total of 840 lbs (http://meets.revolutionpowerlifting.com/results/2014-2/2014-rps-florida-state-record-breaker )
Travels to Bettendorf, Iowa, with Iowa Twisters teammates for the Bettendorf Diving Invitational; won gold in one meter JO competition, and gold in three meter Novice
February
“The Real Winning Edge” syndicated TV show airs nationally, with Evan introduced by Olympic gold medalist David Bouida (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWUWOIyIYKCxHaBQXPu8GR0A3pnPBWLfU )
March
Attends USA Bobsled & Skeleton Driving School in Park City, Utah
April
Wins bronze in one meter JO, gold in three meter Novice, at the 2014 AAU Iowa State Championships at Iowa State University in Ames
Begins retraining squat form with Wes Keith, president of 22nd St Barbell
May
Performs “La Folia” by A. Corelli at Des Moines Symphony Academy Spring Recital (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAOU1zAYFn0&index=2&list=PLWUWOIyIYKCwKup5PQKsp8—HZQ7tJCMO )
June
Completes Freshman year at Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines
Transitions with family to Phoenix, Arizona; begins two-a-day diving training
July
Wins gold in one meter at 2014 AAU Arizona Marlins Summer Invitational
Wins gold, sets seven AAU world powerlifting records at the 2014 Junior Olympic Games with a 308 lb. squat, 182 lb. bench press, 385 lb. deadlift and 875 lb. total in the 132 lb. class; also wins the 2014 AAU Joel Ferrell Award, the top award at the Junior Olympic Games
Wins first place in the 14-15 boys age group for the second time at the 2014 AAU Junior Olympics All-Sports Combine
Wins first place at the inaugural AAU Feats of Strength competition at the JO Games
August
Begins series of musical performances at Phoenix area nursing homes:
- Arizona Grand Senior Living Community
- Kibel Campus of Care
- Desert Terrace Health Center
- Biltmore Assisted Living
Starts sophomore year at Phoenix Country Day School in Paradise Valley, Arizona
September
Begins Arizona High School Boys Division II Diving Season
Sets ten RPS world powerlifting records in four divisions at the 2014 Revolution Powerlifting Syndicate iron Warrior World Championships in Newark, NJ with a 310 lb. squat, 180 lb. bench press, 360 lb. deadlift and 850 lb. total in the 14-15 year old, 132 lb. class (http://meets.revolutionpowerlifting.com/results/2014-2/supreme-iron-warrior )
October
Travels to Las Vegas for the 2014 AAU World Powerlifting Championships and World Indoor Feats of Strength Championships; Sets a single-lift deadlift world record in the 16-17 year-old, 148 lb. class with a 380 lb. deadlift
The following day, wins Best Athlete Youth at World Feats of Strength Championships, setting records in multiple strong-man type events
Begins five days a week speed & strength training
Wins gold at second PCDS Diving Invitational
Wins gold at 2014 Arizona Small Schools Diving Championships
November
Places fifth at Arizona High School Boys Division II Diving State Championships
Wins gold in three classes, sets eight WNPF world powerlifting records, and goes ten-for-ten on the platform at the 2014 World Natural Powerlifting Federation World Championships in Atlanta, with a 315 lb. squat, 185 lb. bench press, 400 lb. deadlift and 890 lb. total (900 lb. 10-lift total) in the 13-16 year old, 148 lb. class. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvv5QQoztEQ&list=PLWUWOIyIYKCwgqZNGxqhrjr5iDwXq9Urn&index=4 , (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAZK3NKtxgk&list=PLWUWOIyIYKCwgqZNGxqhrjr5iDwXq9Urn&index=2 )
Awarded Phoenix Country Day School Boys Diving MVP Award
December
Returns to two nursing homes to perform holiday concert:
- Arizona Grand Senior Living Community
- Desert Terrace Health Center
Performs Sonata No. 3 by Handel at Prestige Academy Winter Recital (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FfMWtF6jmI&list=PLWUWOIyIYKCwKup5PQKsp8–HZQ7tJCMO#t=15 )
Closes out 2014 at RipFest Diving Camp in Indiana with Olympic coaches