They’ve got the power

POINT BLUE — Being part of the foundation of any endeavor, especially one that could set the tone for future generations, can be daunting to think about.
However, for Mallory and Blaire Allain, the thought of having the opportunity to be two of only four athletes to usher in the sport of girl’s power lifting at St. Edmund’s High School, can also be exciting as well.
“I hope that I can set a good example for the rest of the girl athletes in that anyone can do it,” said Blaire enthusiastically. “I got to compete at state and I think that is a big deal.”
“All of the other girls in the weight room that do not power lift get to see our work out,” commented Mallory. “They would say ‘I don’t think I could do that. But, after seeing how much strength we have gained, now they say ‘Well, I want to do that.’ I really believe we set that ‘I want to do that’ example.”
Having girls who are willing to set that example, especially athletes with good work ethics, is so important for a program just getting off the ground.
“Mallory and Blaire work very hard in the weight room,” commented head girl’s power lifting coach Courtney Smith. “They come in and never stop until the work outs are done. All the girls on the powerlifting team have been great examples to all the other athletes.”
The Dequincy natives moved to Evangeline Parish when Mallory was in the seventh grade and Blaire was in the sixth grade. The move was prompted by the family’s purchase of The Blue Junction convenience store in Point Blue. The two young ladies have a stake in the success of the business as well, as they both work side by side with their step dad and mom when they are not busy with school activities.
Moving to a new location and entering a new school can be overwhelming, especially for young persons just moving into their teenage years. But, for Mallory and Blair, that transition went as seamlessly as possible, with a few minor adjustments.
“I did not know that there were actually Cajuns in Louisiana before I moved here,” stated Blaire. “From where we are from were only rednecks. So, the atmosphere was very different. But, being able to go to a Catholic school and getting a chance to express your faith and learn more about it is really great.”
“It was hard to leave Dequincy and leave behind some good friends,” said Mallory. “But, now I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. It made it a lot easier because the other students at St. Ed’s were so excepting. My class is small to begin with and we are really a close knit group.”
Each of the sisters had some experience in athletics before coming to St Ed’s, with Mallory being a little more involved in the overall sports scene. But, since arriving in the Blue Jay nest, the two have come to enjoy the ability to perform in a small school athletic scene.
“We were always involved in youth sports,” commented Mallory. “I played recreational softball and basketball and even a little volleyball. At St. Ed’s you can actually start playing for the school teams earlier on.”
“I was not into sports as much as Mallory,” said Blaire. “I did some running when I was younger. But, when Mallory said she was going to do power lifting, I said I might as well do it too.”
Come to find out, the road travels both ways when it comes to which sister influences the other in terms of sports played. Mallory was into the basketball, softball and track scene throughout the last three years of high school. However, she decided not to play softball this season. That is when younger sister Blaire talked her into trying another sport.
“I played tennis the last two years,” stated Blaire. “So, when Mallory said she did not want to play softball anymore, I suggested that she play tennis with me. I think she really likes it now.”
“I can say this, tennis is a lot more laid back than softball,” Mallory replied with a chuckle.
One of the main roadblocks that women’s power lifting faces is the stigma of having the physique of a body builder. It seems that women, teenage girls in particular, do not want to have that Arnold Schwarzenegger look.
“We added weight lifting two years ago for the girls,” said Smith. “And, even though all of the female athletes lift, most of them did not want to do power lifting because they thought it would change the build of their body.”
“It was Mallory and a few other girls that asked to actually compete in power lifting,” she continued. “I think now that they see the four girls going to the state competition and see what it is really about, that we will have more participants in the next few years.”
“This summer we went to Coach Courtney and told her that this is something we want to do,” commented Mallory. “We enjoyed working out and we wanted to improve ourselves. Only a few of us committed to going forward with power lifting. At first our mind set was that you had to be a body builder to compete.”
“But, when we got to the first meet, we saw that it was not the situation at all,” she continued. “We saw cheerleaders and all other types of athletes competing. We know now that it is about strength and not becoming a body builder.”
Being able to become stronger in the weight room has benefitted the sisters in other aspects as well. By improving every week in their overall strength, both Mallory and Blaire have seen a vast difference in the other sports that they play.
“I throw the shot put for track,” said Mallory. “Last year we did not work out as much. But, this year with us being in the weight room more, I find that it is more effortless to perform in the shot put ring.”
“I also notice a difference in my tennis stroke,” stated Blaire. “It feels a whole lot easier to finish my swing. I sense a lot more power when I play now.”
Both Mallory and Blaire are ranked in the top five heading into the state meet that will be held Friday at the campus of the University of Louisiana-Monroe, with Mallory going in ranked No. 2 in the 198-pound weight class and Blair being ranked No. 4 in the 165-pound weight class. And when they hit the floor to compete, both have several goals in mind, including bringing home a state title.
“The girl that is ranked No. 1 in my weight class is just 20 pounds ahead of me,” stated Mallory. “But, that’s alright because I am not far behind her. If I can get at least five more pounds in each of my lifts, I think I can have a chance. I don’t want to really settle on a weight and be five pounds behind the girl that wins.”
“I just want to have a good meet and hopefully bring home a state title,” said Blaire.
One thing is for sure, each one of the sisters will definitely have a ton of support at the meet.
“We are best friends, so when one of us is on the platform, we definitely pull for each other,” commented Mallory. “It is just great to have your sister and best friend there to cheer you on.”