Our Story
Manitoba Powerlifting Association is a member of the Canadian Powerlifting Union which is itself a member of the International Powerlifting Federation.
History of the Manitoba Powerlifting Association
As an organized sport in Manitoba, powerlifting is relatively young when compared to the lifetime of established sports such as Hockey, Curling, Baseball, Football, and track and field. Originally, powerlifting was contested between gym combatants who were judged by their cronies using a loose set of rules. The majority of these competitions were held insmall . old, dimly lit gyms. There was also a wide variety of lifts that that were juried depending upon the mood of the lifters at that particular time. These lifts included the Bench Press, Back Squat, Deadlift, Front Squat, Military Press, Barbell Curl, Power Clean, or any other agreed upon movement.
The first offical documented Manitoba contest using the three basic powerlifting movements took place in July 1967, at the central YMCA. this event marks the beginning of the first era of powerlifting in Manitoba, which emcompases the years 1967-1975. The Manitoba Powerlifting Association was formed to preside over the sport in official capacity. The MPA hosted one annual provincial competition which followed a standard set of rules. The MPA had an elected executive, along with an appointed set of officials. However, the MPA at this juncture wasn’t incorporated as an organization. nor did powerlifting have any status as an official sport in the province. The MPA also wasn’t affiliated with any governing body connected with powerlifting outside the province. The MPA did enjoy some relative success during this period. Eventually a combination of poor lifter turnout at the annual meet, along with a shortage of funds led to the dissolving of the MPA at the end of 1975.
The years 1976 thru 1979 are considered the dark ages of powerlifting in Manitoba. There are no official competitions or governing body associated with the sport during this period. No records were kept on lifters performances at local or out of province meets. This meant that Manitoba lifters were not recognized for their accomplishmentsat a Provincial, National, or International level. It wasn’t until October of 1979, that a new group of powerlifters organized themselves under the said title of the Manitoba Powerlifting Association. This second formation of the MPA then hosted Manitoba’s first provincial competition in 4 1/2 years, Murdoch McKay Collegiate in January 1980. The overwhelming success of this competition combined with an aggreessive and promissing new executive opened the door for the future of the newly formed and ressurected MPA. From that point on powerlifting in Manitoba has grown in membership, recogintion, credibilty, and viability. Since 1980, the MPA has been incorporated as a business as well as having been recognized as an official sport in the provinve. We are full members of The Manitoba Sports Federation and The Manitoba Sports Directorate. We are members of the Canadian Powerlifting Union(CPU) and the International Powerlifting Federation(IPF). The MPA has been the host of several national competitions, and has in its membership many national and international level competitors, coaches, and officials. The MPA has a provincial training facility (Olympik Gym) which also serves as the nerve center for the MPA. Olympik Gym is also used for the coaching and training of our Special Olympians.
Yes the MPA and powerlifting in Manitoba has come along way since its initial birth. One of the purposes of this background on the MPA is to give new and old members an brief overview of what the MPA has accomplished and hopefully serve as a motivational tool in attracting new members and/or resurrecting some of old members back into the sport. I have included a list of the MPA executive since 1979. A history of important MPA dates and events. A list of national and international level competitors. The results of the first official MPA sanctioned competition from July, 1967. A list of provincial records dated December 1975 which documents the lifting accomplishments of the 1967-75 era of the MPA. A list of the current MPA provincial records. The top 100 modern day MPA Male performances. And finally, a list of all the MPA hosted competitions.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all past and present members of the association as well as all the volunteers who have helped make the sport of powerlifting grow and prosper at such a high level in Manitoba.
Yours Sincerely
Dan Tarabalka
Secretary
Manitoba Powerlifting Association
*PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE INFORMATION INCLUDED ON THIS PAGE HAS BEEN PIECED TOGETHER FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF SOURCES DATING BACK 30 YEARS IN SOME INSTANCE. KEEPING THIS IN MIND THE MPA WISHES TO APOLOGIZE FOR ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS THAT MAY HAVE RESULTED IN OUR DOCUMENTATION OF EVENTS, DATES, PLACES, PEOPLE OR RESULTS. THE MPA ALSO WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND AN INVITATION OUT TO ANY PERSON(s) WHO MAY BE IN POSSESSION OF INFORMATION TO THE CONTRARY OR IN ADDITION TO WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED HERE. PLEASE CONTACT ANY EXECUTIVE MPA MEMBER REGARDING THIS PROCLAMATION!
1979 – 1982 | 1982 – 1984 | 1984 – 1985 | 1985 – 1986 | 1986 – 1987 | 1987 – 1989 | |
| President: | Lyle Foster | Lyle Foster | John Carlucci | John Carlucci | John Carlucci | John Carlucci |
| Vice-President: | Mark Hintz | Mark Hintz | Mark Hintz | Dan Tarabalka | Dan Tarabalka | Dan Tarabalka |
| Treasurer: | John Carlucci | John Carlucci | Holly Buss | Gwen Polischuk | Gwen Polischuk | Gwen Tarabalka |
| Secretary: | Shane Ferguson | Holly Buss | Hilary Chun | Hilary Carlucci | Hilary Carlucci | Michelle Bellamy |
| Liason: | Rick Crilly | Bruce Markham | ||||
| Records Chair: | ||||||
| Director(s): | Lyle Foster | Bruce Markham | Bruce Markham | Dwayne Feakes | ||
| Dwayne Feakes | Dwayne Feakes | Trevor Wallace | ||||
1989 – 1990 | 1990 – 1991 | 1991 – 1992 | 1992 – 1993 | 1993 – 1994 | 1994 – 1996 | |
| President: | John Carlucci | John Carlucci | Bruce Markham | Bruce Markham | Bruce Markham | Bruce Markham |
| Vice-President: | Dwayne Feakes | Dwayne Feakes | Bert Merriman | Michael Lange | Michael Lange | Michael Lange |
| Treasurer: | Dan Tarabalka | Dan Tarabalka | David Gurvey | David Gurvey | David Gurvey | Martin Hall |
| Martin Hall | ||||||
| Secretary: | Zak Lawrence | Zak Lawrence | Dan Goray | Angela Johnson | Angela Johnson | Dan Tarabalka |
| Dan Tarabalka | Angela Johnson | |||||
| Liason: | Rick Marshall | |||||
| Records Chair: | Joe Leblanc | David Gurvey | ||||
| Director(s): | Erwin Ferstl | Erwin Ferstl | John Carlucci | Brock Taylor | Brock Taylor | Brock Taylor |
| Dan Tarabalka | Martin Hall | Rick Marshall | ||||
| Brock Taylor | Dan Tarabalka |
Chronology of Important MPA Dates
| April 1967 | ………. | Formation of the first MPA. |
| July 1967 | ………. | First Official MB Provincial meet(Central YMCA). |
| September 1975 | ………. | Last Provincial meet until January 1980. |
| December 1975 | ………. | MPA Folds. |
| 1976 – 1979 | ………. | NO MPA, NO SANCTIONED PROVINCIAL MEETS, DARK AGE FOR THE MPA. |
| October 1979 | ………. | The MPA reforms under new Executive. |
| January 1980 | ………. | First Provincial Meet hosted by the New MPA. |
| May 1981 | ………. | First entry of Manitoba Powerlifters at a national Championships(Hamilton, Ont.). |
| March 1982 | ………. | Frist out of province team competition (South Dakota State Invitational, Brookings S.D.). |
| October 1984 | ………. | First casual meet (Bench Press and Curl). |
| November 1984 | ………. | Membership Application with the Manitoba Sports Federation Denied. |
| January 1985 | ………. | Official Member of the Canadian Powerlifting Union. |
| June 1985 | ………. | Debut of the second annually sanctioned provincial meet(originally called the Red River Valley; now called the Keystone Klassic.) |
| June 1985 | ………. | First provincial officials certification. |
| May 1986 | ………. | MPA hosts the Western Canadian Championships. |
| May 1986 | ………. | First MPA National Officials Certification. |
| July 1986 | ………. | MPA is incorporated as an official business/organization with the province. |
| September 1986 | ………. | All previous MPA records retired. Now only drug tested records are officially kept. |
| October 1986 | ………. | MPA becomes a probationary member of the Manitoba Sports Directorate. |
| November 1986 | ………. | First sports profile submitted to the MSF. |
| ………. | First MPA constitution drawn and passed. | |
| ………. | Rick Crilly wins the IPF World Championships. | |
| April 1987 | ………. | First provincial drug tested meet. |
| November 1987 | ………. | First appointment and training of MPA coaches. |
| February 1988 | ………. | Updated provincial officials certification. |
| June 1988 | ………. | MPA hosted it’s first National competition, the Men’s Canadians. |
| June 1988 | ………. | First official annual sport audit(Chambers, Fraser,and Co.). |
| October 1988 | ………. | Full member of the Manitoba Sports Directorate. |
| February 1989 | ………. | Full member of the Manitoba Sports Federation. |
| April 1989 | ………. | Official MPA documents registered with lawyer firm Godard, Chapman and Kagan. |
| May 1990 | ………. | MAP hosts it’s first Men’s Juniors/Masters Nationals. |
| January 1991 | ………. | MPA hosts it’s first Women’s Nationals. |
| February 1991 | ………. | Special Olympians lift in a provincial meet. |
| July 1991 | ………. | First MPA bingo with the MSF. |
| June 1992 | ………. | First MPA sanctioned Class II meet (Chinese Cultural Center). |
| ………. | Amalgamation of the MPA with Olympik Gym as the MPA provincial training facility. | |
| September 1992 | ………. | Special Olympians begin training at Olympik Gym. |
| November 1993 | ………. | First Canadian team coach from Manitoba at the Worlds. |
| July 1994 | ………. | Michael Fortney wins Canadian Special Olympian of the Year Award. |
| December 1994 | ………. | Computer controlled card access security system installed at Olympik Gym. |
| May 1995 | ………. | Brock Taylor becomes first elected official on the CPU executive (Vice-president). |