I first met Tod in February 1999 when he brought lifters to the Women’s Nationals in Lincoln, Nebraska. Later that same year he brought 4 lifters to the 1999 USA Powerlifting Teenage/Junior Nationals in Lincoln, Nebraska. He now has over 20 Teenagers that qualify each year. 

Since that time, Tod has continually built that program into one of the best High School programs in the Nation. His program is so big that this last year with the High School National Championships the same day as the Michigan State High School meet, Tod split his team sending his top lifters to the Nationals and sent his B Team to the State Meet. His Men’s team placed 4th at the Nationals. His Women’s team took 2nd, by 1 point. But the combined team took the Championships. His B Team, coached by 4 former High School Lifters finished 2nd at the State Meet.

Here is what Tod has done over the last few years:

1998 – Founded the Plainwell High School Powerlifting Team. Started with about 8 lifters – 6 men and 2 women. Qualified 4 men for Teen/Jr Nationals.

February 1999 – Coach of the Plainwell High School Women’s Powerlifting Team – USA Powerlifting Women’s Teenage/Junior National Championships, Lincoln, Nebraska. First place finish.

1999 and 2000 – Michigan High School Powerlifting Coaches Association High School State Championships. First place finish both years by both the men’s and women’s team.

March 1999 – Coach of the Plainwell Men’s Powerlifting Team – USA Powerlifting High School National Championship, Killeen, Texas. Fifth place national finish.

June 1999 – Coach of the Plainwell Knights, USA Powerlifting Men’s Teenage/Junior National Championships, Lincoln, Nebraska. Second place finish.

March 2000 – Coach of the Plainwell High School Powerlifting Team – USA Powerlifting High School National Championship, Neenah, Wisconsin. Men’s team finished 4th and Women’s team finished 5th in the nation. Men/Women’s Combined Team 3rd place finish.

June 2000-Coach of the Plainwell Knights, USA Powerlifting (USA Powerlifting) Teenage/Junior Men’s National Championship Team, Killeen, Texas.

September 12-17, 2000 – Coach of the USA Powerlifting Junior National Team at the 2000 International Powerlifting Federation World Championship in Taiwan. Team members are 14 – 23 years old. The men placed 2nd and the women placed 3rd out of 16 competing countries.

January 2001-Coach of the Plainwell Knights Women’s team, National Championships. 1 st place Teenage/Junior division.

April 2001-Coach of the Plainwell High School Powerlifting Team-US APL High school National Championships, Killeen, Texas. Men’s team finished 4th, Women’s team finished 2nd Men’s / Women’s combined team, 2nd place.

June 2001 – Coach of the Plainwell Knights, USA Powerlifting (USA Powerlifting) Teenage/Junior Men’s National Championship Team in Chicago.

September 28-October 1 Selected as Head Coach USA Powerlifting Sub-junior National Team at the IPF Powerlifting World Powerlifting Championships at Sochi, Russia. Team member’s range in the age of 14-18 from across the USA. (Cancelled due to Sept.11)

February 2002 Coach of the Plainwell Knights Women’s Team – 2nd place finish at the USA Powerlifting Women’s Nationals (to Team Titan). Several Teen national champions and one Open Champion – Erin Dickey.

March 2002 – Coach of the Plainwell High School Powerlifting Team, USA Powerlifting High School National Championships, St. Louis, MO. Women’s team finished 2nd, Men’s team finished 4th, Combined team First place finish. Seven national champions, five women earn spots on the Sub-Junior (14-18 year old) National Team. (Plainwell’s “B” team traveled to Goodrich, MI for the Michigan High School Powerlifting Coaches Association’s High School State Championships on the same weekend and finished 2nd, The team was coached by 4 former high school lifters.)

May 2002 – USA Powerlifting Assistant Coach, Women’s National Team – Competing at the IPF World Championships in Germany. Plainwell lifter, Erin Dickey competed at this competition.

September 2002 – Head Coach USA Powerlifting Sub-Junior National Team – Competing at the IPF SubJunior World Championships in Taiwan. (Five Plainwell women will compete with this team, several men will vie for positions.)

2002 – The Plainwell Knights have 73 active members. Ages of the team members range from 10-62.