If you’ve been paying attention to anything in USA Weightlifting over the last 10 years, you know we’ve had a lot of growth and changes. The rise of CrossFit led to a population explosion in our sport, which has improved and expanded literally every aspect of the federation.
 
Obviously, the most visible part of this explosion has been the dramatic escalation of our competitive level on the platform. We’ve got more talented weightlifters right now than we’ve ever had. However, another interesting change we’ve seen is the surge of talented behind-the-scenes people. You might not know this, but in addition to an ever-increasing pool of amazing weightlifters, USAW is also experiencing a huge expansion of amazing coaches, officials, and administrators: educated people with successful professional lives, lots of energy, and great ideas for how to make the sport better. Jenny Schumacher, the current Grassroots Director for USAW, has been one of these individuals.
 
If you’ve been to a national meet in the last five years, you’ve probably seen Jenny. She’s everywhere: coaching, refereeing, running the scoring table, helping out at technical control, handing out medals, and doing every other kind of grunt work you can imagine. Her job as Grassroots Director is obviously one of the top administrative positions in the federation, and she uses a boots-on-the-ground approach to the position. She’s a great example of the idea that you don’t have to be a former world champion to contribute important leadership to the sport. The Performance Menu is honored to share her story.
 
Tell us about your background. Where are you from, where do you currently live, what’s your occupation, family life, what kind of sports background do you have outside of lifting, etc.
 
I grew up in Utah, where I attended two universities and graduated as a Registered Nurse. I played tennis a little and did gymnastics as a kid. I worked as a nurse in hospitals and doctors’ offices from 1990 to 1996. In 1998, we moved to Belgium for my husband’s work. We spent eight years there, and five in Switzerland. After that adventure, we moved back to Utah. Everything we love to do is here. We downhill and backcountry ski, hike, wake surf, stand up paddleboard, go four-wheeling, motorcycle riding, and my most favorite thing of all—run rivers. I’ve been a whitewater river guide since I was 18. I love adventure of any kind, but rivers are my favorite. We travel as much as possible – obviously on hold since February. My husband, Justin Tomlinson, and I will have been married 30 years this June. We recently published a book: See. Do. Grow. – A pattern for living a lift that matters. It highlights the important role weightlifting has played in finding my purpose. We have two daughters; Madeline, 26 (married to Kyle – a seriously great man); and Tate, 19. We also have a Labradoodle, Fozzy, who is the absolute love of all of our lives.
 
Describe your weightlifting history. When/how did you start? What have your favorite experiences been in the sport?
 
When I moved back to Utah, I found CrossFit. What I didn’t know at that time was how profoundly my life would be affected by it. Within a year, I had become a CrossFit Level 1 Coach. My first significant foray into weightlifting-specific education was at a CrossFit Weightlifting seminar led by Casey Burgener. That was followed closely by a USAW L1 Sports Performance cert. A turning point for my understanding in not just the mechanics of snatches, cleans, and jerks came from Michael Conroy. He taught a program design course at the OTC in Colorado Springs where I learned HOW to create a program that helped athletes progress from beginner to advanced. He became and continues to be one of my greatest friends and mentors. Coincidentally, he taught my Advanced Sports Performance course. I am a National Coach for USAW. I coach athletes from eight to 73 years old. My favorite experience, by far, has been helping my father recover from a stroke seven years ago. He has come from not being able to walk without help to snatching, cleaning, jerking, squatting, and currently holds the planking record in the gym: three minutes with a 25kg plate on his back at 73 years old.
 
You’ve become very active in the organizational/administrative end of USAW. Tell us about how that happened, and what positions you’ve held/currently hold in the sport.
 
Debbie Millet gave me the opportunity to marshal at the 2014 Nationals in Salt Lake. That opportunity has shaped my last six years. I met other Technical Officials, became involved in more national meets, and met Terry Grow, Grassroots Director on the USAW Board. In late 2015, Terry nominated me for the Board of Directors. With his support and that of many others who were kind enough to believe in me, I became the Grassroots Director. I was just re-elected to that position and will begin my second term in January. Additionally, I serve as Vice Chair on the USAW Board, Utah LWC President and president and head coach of my own club, Proven Strength Weightlifting. I’m a Category 2 International Technical Official and serve as the Board liaison to the Technical Committee.
 
Describe some of the obstacles you face, or maybe some things that frustrate you in your weightlifting life. What kinds of changes would you like to see, either personally or with the sport in general?
 
Some of the problems in our sport, extraneous of COVID, rest at the collective feet of the IWF Executive Board. Consequently, the solutions do, too. I have a limited international audience but will continue to be vocal in not only calling out unfair practices, but also offering solutions where I have them. The findings of the McLaren Report and the newly appointed Independent Disciplinary and Ethics Commission make me hopeful for the future of Weightlifting as an Olympic sport and the possibility for clean sport and fair play. The proposed amendments for the upcoming congress are critical to the future of our sport: athlete representation AND votes on policy, sanctions to board members whose federations are suspended or under sanction, and a truly independent drug testing entity ensuring fair play and opportunities to clean athletes and excluding those who cheat. I had hopes that the IOC would take over the preparation and management of the Tokyo Games. I feel like the stakes are higher than ever, and any misstep by the EB or member federations who are not dedicated to clean sport will be the proverbial nail in the coffin of weightlifting remaining an Olympic sport. Let’s hope we don’t get there.
 
The follow-up to those obstacles is the question, how do we continue to put athletes first and maintain our dedication to athlete’s success both domestically and internationally? We must fairly and consistently uphold selection procedures, support by way of stipends to those who qualify, offer opportunities to make totals in venues and settings that facilitate the best and highest levels of competition, and maintain transparency around all those subjects. We are absolutely focused on and dedicated to these concepts. COVID has complicated life for nearly everyone on the planet. Weightlifting is no exception. That said, we cannot stray from these core values and hope to maintain trust with our stakeholders. They deserve our best efforts.
 
What are your plans and goals for your weightlifting life? How do you see your future in the sport?
 
Early on, I built a program dependent on my being in the gym every day of the week. On one hand, I developed as a coach, built a business, and attracted people who wanted to work specifically with me. I think that’s a fairly common story within our sport. However, that model doesn’t allow room for breaking one’s leg and being in a wheelchair for two and a half months, or even something as simple as a trip. It’s tricky because my ego is involved, and so is my desire for freedom. The solution, as I see it, is to do all I can to develop coaches, so they don’t have to take the many-thousand-dollar risk to start a gym to develop their talents. Everyone benefits in that scenario. That encompasses my role as LWC President and as club president.
 
Within USAW, my current roles are pretty well defined. I’ve been able to initiate new policy around fundraising, financial oversight, and process for Technical Official duties. These TO protocols are used at not only national meets, but also frequently at the local level. As Grassroots Director/ I represent club owners/presidents and LWC Presidents. I will certainly continue to be a resource to those groups. I’m always available to answer questions and search for answers that I don’t know. COVID has caused a disruption in our processes around in-person meets, qualification for international teams, the ability to set new American records, testing and advancing referees, fundraising, and to some degree preparing for the Olympics. An athlete-first approach has created trust in the past. Within the ever-changing landscape, that must be our continued focus; my continued focus.
 
 
Who are some of your major influences, people you look up to, etc.? Who are the people you want to thank for your success?
 
Have you ever sat in a meeting, made a comment, then listened to the follow-up, and wished you hadn’t opened your mouth? This keeping-my-mouth-closed-and-listening has been a journey. Dan Forester and Travis Cooper are master teachers of this concept. They have taught me to wait until I have something to actually say before I speak. There are coaches who have trusted me to find answers and advocate for them from my Board seat. I think I have risen to that opportunity rather than started with it. It’s taken a bit of time to understand the history and points of policy within USAW. There’s a lot to it. Michael Conroy, Carissa Gump, and Jim Schmitz have been especially helpful in their reminders of how, exactly, we got to where we are. I’m better equipped to make decisions with their information and help. Joe Triolo is the Chair of the Technical Committee, Terry Grow before him. They have both been supportive of my ideas, and certainly pulled me back when I was going too far. Corinne Grotenhuis is literally the OG of Technical Officials and the model of how to not only to conduct oneself when leading, but also a source of inexhaustible knowledge.
 
The list could go on and on. I’ll end by thanking the athletes who have trusted me with their athletic development. I am grateful to be involved in USA Weightlifting. The friendships I’ve made are a source of joy. I have a family within weightlifting that 10 years ago I didn’t know existed. I consider myself very lucky indeed.
 
Thanks for everything you do, Jenny. We’ve needed people like you in the sport for a long time, and we appreciate all your hard work to make the sport better!