Lifting the Lady Blue Devils

The sounds of the weight room meet you before you reach the door. Thumps, clashing, and clangs are heard steps away and are accompanied by chatter and giggles. Coach Renard Ellis calls out a few girls who eagerly walk over to be interviewed. Each with a greeting and quick inquiry, lead the way to the meeting area, where they all discuss what it is like to be a part of the Winter Haven High School (WHHS) Girls’ Weightlifting team.

Five members of the team sit on the benches in the back of the locker room and while their voices could be swallowed by the many noises echoing in the space, they don’t shrink. Their voices zealously carry as they answer the whys and hows of their sport. Their insight shows impressive maturity when they speak about overcoming trials of injuries and insecurities. They share with smiles and simple jokes that remind you they are still teenagers. They respond with gleeful pride that they are indeed girls who lift weights.

The five include Remy Jacobson, Junior; Olivia Celiscar, Senior; Isabella “Izzi” Liparota, Junior; Carly Szucs, Senior; and Jasmine Davila-Roberts, Senior. Much like their sport, there are isolated points when the girls highlight their individual stories, yet the first-person perspectives speak to collective ideals. “In weightlifting, whenever you see progress, that’s when you grow your faith in the sport. Believing in something bigger than yourself. When you see people in these weight classes lifting [their weight or more], it really encourages you. It’s a happy environment everyone should be in. It’s why I want other girls to join,” states Jacobson.

“A lot of girls with weightlifting think as soon as you start, you’re going to be big and bulky and look like a man, and that’s a big misconception. So, we show up and show you can lift and be ‘girly.’” DavilaRoberts comments on addressing the stigmas she and her team of weightlifters face, “We like to prove that we are strong physically, not just emotionally.” The team welcomes the juxtaposition of pink accents, nails, makeup, barbells, and belts. They lift pretty. And for the girls who allow the visible gains from the sport to be a deterrent, Coach Ellis directs the attention to the intangible gains of the team such as perseverance, work ethic, confidence, and a supportive nature.

At some point during the interview, each of the five vocalized a desire to have more girls see past the stigma of “manliness” and see the benefits in weightlifting. “I joined weightlifting after I got injured in soccer, and Coach Ellis asked me to come be on the team. I thought it was the lowest point in my life. But once I got into it, my knee got stronger, and I saw my recovery start to go faster. I’m playing again and I thank weightlifting and Coach every day for it,” shares Liparota.

Coach Ellis and his girl’s weightlifting team are remarkably united. Cheerful comments and bubbly compliments are spoken after almost every question. The only time during the interview where there is a split in opinions is when Ellis and the girls express what they each think this article’s focus should be. “Everything I do is for them. So the community sees how strong and powerful they are,” says Ellis as he points towards the weight room where the girls have gone back into for practice. He sits up straight in his chair to continue his statement, “I just want to be in the background and make sure they all have good experiences.” He wants the focus on them, for them to be recognized, for their drive, their heart, and strength.

The girls want him to know he deserves the recognition for his drive, strength, compassion, and heart. “I think we are the team we are because of Ellis. Ellis gets us opportunities, he takes us to meets, he gets our names out there,” Szucs notes before adding, “He always gives us the recognition but I wish he would take it for himself.”

“He’s so generous,” adds Liparota.

“He’s so so giving,” follows Davila-Roberts.

“And thoughtful. And kind. And he never yells,” Jacobson makes sure to insert notable additions.

Without any prompting, the brilliant young ladies excitedly roll out dozens of descriptions of their coach. Coach Ellis is dedicated. Funny. Caring. Motivating. Attentive to each individual in his charge. Like a second dad. Still they want to hear what he has to say, to see if he sees the value in his journey with them that they treasure so dearly. “The girls I’ve had the pleasure of coaching … they buy in. They’re disciplined. They’re hard-working. They don’t have the egos, where football brings egos. That’s something hard to diminish. But here they can be themselves. They can be goofy and shy … they can care. They can cry if they don’t get a lift,” Ellis explains the difference in coaching the girls versus the guys’ football.

This season, which begins late October, looks to build on the momentum from last. In the 2023 - 2024 season, there were about 17 girls on the weightlifting team, last year there were 40. According to Coach Ellis, during the interest meeting in late August for this 2025 - 26 season, 70 girls were present. Celiscar shares how she reminds people that weightlifting is something to have fun with, “I didn’t take it seriously towards the beginning of last year, but as we kept going I started saying I like this, this is cool. It’s a fun sport and [you’ll] want to keep going. Girls have been coming up to me and it’s cause they see we’re a team having fun.”

Ellis and the current team are looking for growth in every aspect; in numbers, in accomplishments, and in community support. They want growth to mean: for a number of the girls to meet their PR (personal record) goals; to make districts, state, and even nationals; to have sponsors and donations that take care of all the essentials(uniforms, equipment, fees) and extras(out of town needs-transportation, lodging, food, etc.); and for at least 30 of the 70 girls committing to the team.

The WHHS Girls’ Weightlifting team and their coach are the example of what it means for a group to be so endearing they become family. A family curated by Ellis for the last three seasons. The girls chime in agreement one last time saying they are the daughters Ellis never had.

So what should the focus of this article be? What is the draw of this team? Close bonds? The future of the team? A coach that is dedicated to the person, not just the athlete? A coach that will drive the team to Crumbl Cookies? A coach that loves to see his team celebrate themselves? A group of girls that are multi-sport athletes that enjoy breaking the stereotypes of lifting? A group of girls whose personalities are big as their stats? A team that recalls their coach offering specific encouragement for every teammate that needed it? The coach that steps back from the spotlight to ensure that his girls are illuminated? A team that evolves and credits everyone around them for their blossoming, especially their coach…?

All of the above.

Photos by Amy Sexson