USA Weightlifting launches club management platform as elite camps ramp up ahead of Tokyo Olympic Games

USA Weightlifting (USAW) has launched a new online platform to enable clubs to build, retain and engage with its membership.

Devised by USAW CEO Phil Andrews, the new platform is called REPS, the Retention, Engagement Programming System and will allow gyms and organisations to create a customized website for their club, establish programming for members, schedule classes and collect membership fees.

The REPS platform includes an easy-to-use online interface, along with iOS and Android mobile apps for staff and members.

Phil Andrews commented: "An age-old issue for national governing bodies (NGBs) is how to reach the athletes who train but don’t compete.

"My colleague Brad Suchorski and I came up with the concept after listening to gyms, coaches and athletes to create a stronger community that builds collaboration and creates connections and value for our members.

"We plan to licence the platform as well so that it can be used by other NGBs who may have the same gaps in their offering that we have previously encountered."

The platform was put together with UK-based Rocca Interactive and SPORT80 to develop a system which connects to the USAW membership system.

USAW are launching REPS at a time when elite training camps have started in Salt Lake City to best prepare the top athletes in an Olympic year.

Following strict bubble protocols, with all athletes and their entourage tested every day for Covid-19, the camps offer training and education sessions focusing on a wide range of topics from nutrition, mental health, sports psychology and education sessions focusing on anti-doping, money and management.

The training camps have been supported by Visit Salt Lake and the Utah Sports Commission, with a semi-permanent training hall provided by the Marriott Salt Lake City Center for six months.

Phil Andrews added: "We have a responsibility at USA Weightlifting to be innovative in order to provide the best possible opportunities and support for our athletes at grassroots and elite levels.

"The past 12 months have been particularly challenging given the hurdles presented by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns but I am immensely proud that we are building a governing body that will be even stronger than it was at the start of 2020."

USAW recently held its first weightlifting event of the year, the four-day North American Open Series 1 event, featuring almost 1000 competitors, with nearly 400 athletes opting to lift "in person" in Salt Lake City, Utah, and another 600 competing virtually.

The next North American Open Series event is due to take place in Calgary, Canada, in September 2021.

As a service to our readers, Around the Rings will provide verbatim texts of selected press releases issued by Olympic-related organizations, federations, businesses and sponsors.

These press releases appear as sent to Around the Rings and are not edited for spelling, grammar or punctuation.

25 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only