OSHKOSH (NBC 26) – At the O-Town Iron gym, two powerlifters are working difficult on their upcoming meet as they will be the only two representatives from the state of Wisconsin at the USA Powerlifting Youth Nationals in South Carolina.
“I feel like this is a place where I can escape (all) my problems and it just makes me happy,” said Aubrie Hickey, an Oshkosh native who will be starting her freshman year of college next fall.
“It’s fun that you can just compete with other kids,” said Bentley Del Vecchio, a soon-to-be sixth-grader.
Alex Del Vecchio
Del Vecchio began powerlifting to improve his physical conditioning for football. As an O-line center, powerlifting helps him in two areas.
“Power (and) explosion,” he said.
JOHN MILLER / NBC 26
He took first place in his first competition in February. It was a special moment for Bentley and his dad, Alex, who trains him and is the powerlifting coach at Oshkosh North High School.
“I’m not going to lie, I cried,” Alex said. “It was a big moment for me. Knowing that we did it together, being able to work as a family and just help him achieve something that he will remember for the rest of his life.”
Alex Del Vecchio
Hickey is also trained by Del Vecchio and took up powerlifting to become stronger on the mat – she is a truly talented wrestler.
“I feel like I’m not afraid to step out of my comfort zone anymore, and when it comes to wrestling, I’m not afraid to fight,” she said. “I feel like I can do it.”
JOHN MILLER / NBC 26
Hickey, who recently started powerlifting, also won her first match in February.
“She’s just incredibly dedicated,” coach Del Vecchio said. “She never wants to give up and is willing to put in the time and work, which is all you can really want in an athlete.”
Both Aubrie and Bentley will head to the youth competition in Greenville, South Carolina. But Aubrie and her coach aren’t worried about winning or losing.
“It’s just beating yourself up,” Hickey said. “Placement is just a number.”
“They don’t even have to win, but just knowing that they’ve gone to the next level and the joy on their faces when they’re eliminated is just amazing,” Del Vecchio said.
