Baseball sophomore defeats UMW deadlift record

JOE LANGLEY

Senior Writer

As the end of the semester approaches, one particular UMW student-athlete is not only hitting the books, but dominating in the weight room. Chase Perreault, a sophomore from the baseball team, broke the deadlift record on Nov. 6.

“When I broke the record I was really fired up,” Perreault said. “It was hard not to be when my teammates were all cheering me on.”

Perreault knew the former deadlift record was 645 beforehand and set a goal for himself to break it as soon as possible. He lifts in his free time and had a lot of experience in the weight room when he played baseball at Prince George’s Community College for the last two years.

“On average I lift at least three days a week,” said Perreault. Lifting is an important aspect of sports; it’s a big component of maintaining a good shape.

Perreault is a fan of competition and will be facing it this spring when he fights for his spot on the team. He knows that he isn’t guaranteed anything and is determined to show his worth from the very beginning.

“This record only gives me momentum for the spring,” said Perrault. “My goals for the season are to put my team in position to win every time I’m on the field, and to be a stronger pitcher as the season progresses.”

Perrault was a pitcher at PGCC, winning two regional championships. Perrault is sure that he can translate to the next level, and bring his winning attitude to his new team this spring.

The most impressive part, however, is how easy Perrault said the 665-pound deadlift was for him. That isn’t an easy weight to deadlift, but Perrault welcomed the challenge and killed it.

“The 665 felt pretty easy to me,” Perreault said. “Honestly, I’m planning on deadlifting 700 in the spring.” With big plans for the spring, Perreault aims to make a positive impact for his team on the baseball diamond.

While weight lifting isn’t the most important aspect of baseball and sports in general, it is still important in terms of strength. Strength is an advantage in any sport. For a pitcher like Perreault, deadlifting 665 pounds can only help his throwing arm get stronger. Having a goal of 700 for the spring only adds to the promise of how well his season could go.

Despite wanting success for himself, Perreault wants team success over everything else. The team is the most important aspect of any team sport, and Perreault only defends that notion.

“This record doesn’t guarantee me anything,” Perreault said. “I’m going to keep pushing myself to improve because I know there is a lot I have to work on. All I have to do is stay focused, and dedicate myself to the team.”

The UMW baseball season starts on Feb. 21 with a three-game series against William Pence.