WILLISTON, Vt. (WCAX) – At Lift Vermont in Williston, it feels like family.
One of their members, 15-year-old Maggie Kennedy is on the rise.
She just broke a national record for her weight class and age group last week — bench pressing 167 pounds.
“Right as I took the bar off I knew that I was going to get it because my adrenaline was so high,” Kennedy said.
She broke that record with a little extra motivation these past few months.
Her coach — Jason Crosby — nicknamed in the gym “Moose” — passed away unexpectedly in august.
“He’d want me to keep pushing and moving forward and crush every lift,” Kennedy said.
His wife took over coaching Maggie even though she hadn’t ever coached before.
“She’s probably helped me more than a 15 year old should be helping an adult but she’s been great,” Tabitha Crosby, Maggie’s coach said.
When she broke the record, it was her first competition without Moose.
“I knew that she really wanted to not only do that for herself but for moose too and we both know that he was there to cheer for her yeah really proud of her,” Crosby said.
Maggie’s mom says she couldn’t be more proud of how she’s using this loss to push her to be better.
“I know that she wouldn’t be where she is today without moose helping her find that in herself as well and yeah it is a full circle moment for sure,” Tricia Van Vliet, Maggie’s mom said.
“You’re just getting closer to your goals if you fail because the bigger you fail the better the success feels I think that’s what he’d want me to say,” Kennedy said.
Maggie has her eyes set on going to Worlds, and one day, opening a gym of her own.
This lifting family she’s a part of believes she’s on the right track.
