Arnold's Michael Southerland is lifting the standard
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – Arnold High School sophomore Michael Southerland has been embraced by the Marlin weightlifting team, where a sense of belonging and mentorship has helped fuel his growth in the sport.
Southerland, who began weightlifting before arriving at Arnold, was immediately welcomed into the program.
Senior Ian Whaler took the newcomer under their wing from the start.
'Michael first came in, and immediately, me and Connor brought him to our rack to bench with us, clean and jerk, everything,' Whaler said. 'He's just a fun person to be around. We take him to breakfast. He's part of the team.'
Since joining the Marlins, Southerland has been supported by his teammates, both on and off the platform.
Nicknames and words of encouragement have been offered to him regularly, reinforcing a positive team atmosphere. 'They always call me some awesome nicknames and say, 'Let's go, Mike!'' Southerland said.
Over the past season, Southerland's dedication paid off when he earned a spot at the All-County meet. Along the way, he also discovered a personal favorite lift, the clean and jerk.
Though his journey is still in its early stages, Southerland has expressed excitement about what lies ahead.
With two more years of high school eligibility remaining, continued progress is anticipated as he builds on the foundation that has already been set.
Southerland's story stands as a testament to the impact of team culture and mentorship in high school athletics, where strength is found not just in lifting, but in the people lifting other up alongside the platform.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
26 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Braves' Smith-Shawver undergoes Tommy John surgery and Kimbrel elects free agency
MILWAUKEE (AP) — A.J. Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery and Craig Kimbrel elected free agency Monday in the latest pitching moves for the slumping Atlanta Braves. Smith-Shawver had reconstructive surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, knocking the rookie right-hander out for at least the rest of this season. Keith Meister performed the procedure in Arlington, Texas. Kimbrel opted for free agency two days after the Braves had designated the nine-time All-Star reliever for assignment. The Braves had attempted to send Kimbrel outright to their Triple-A Gwinnett affiliate. The Braves announced Smith-Shawver's surgery and Kimbrel's decision before their Monday night game at Milwaukee as they attempted to snap a seven-game skid. Braves officials already had announced May 30 that Smith-Shawver had a torn UCL. He had left a 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies a day earlier and said he felt a 'pop.' Smith-Shawver, 22, had gone 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA in nine starts this season. He had struck out 42 batters in 44 1/3 innings. Kimbrel had been attempting to make a comeback with Atlanta, where he spent his first five major league seasons and earned four straight All-Star Game selections from 2011-14. His 186 saves with the Braves are the most in franchise history. The 37-year-old Kimbrel had gone a combined 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 18 combined appearances with Gwinnett and Double-A Columbus this year before getting called up to Atlanta last week. But he pitched just one game with Atlanta before getting designated for assignment. He worked one scoreless inning in the Braves' 5-4, 10-inning loss at San Francisco on Friday. Kimbrel is attempting to rejuvenate his career after a disappointing 2024 season in which he went 7-5 with a 5.33 ERA and 23 saves for the Baltimore Orioles, who released him last September. ___ AP MLB:
Fox Sports
31 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Braves' Smith-Shawver undergoes Tommy John surgery and Kimbrel elects free agency
Associated Press MILWAUKEE (AP) — A.J. Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery and Craig Kimbrel elected free agency Monday in the latest pitching moves for the slumping Atlanta Braves. Smith-Shawver had reconstructive surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, knocking the rookie right-hander out for at least the rest of this season. Keith Meister performed the procedure in Arlington, Texas. Kimbrel opted for free agency two days after the Braves had designated the nine-time All-Star reliever for assignment. The Braves had attempted to send Kimbrel outright to their Triple-A Gwinnett affiliate. The Braves announced Smith-Shawver's surgery and Kimbrel's decision before their Monday night game at Milwaukee as they attempted to snap a seven-game skid. Braves officials already had announced May 30 that Smith-Shawver had a torn UCL. He had left a 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies a day earlier and said he felt a 'pop.' Smith-Shawver, 22, had gone 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA in nine starts this season. He had struck out 42 batters in 44 1/3 innings. Kimbrel had been attempting to make a comeback with Atlanta, where he spent his first five major league seasons and earned four straight All-Star Game selections from 2011-14. His 186 saves with the Braves are the most in franchise history. The 37-year-old Kimbrel had gone a combined 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 18 combined appearances with Gwinnett and Double-A Columbus this year before getting called up to Atlanta last week. But he pitched just one game with Atlanta before getting designated for assignment. He worked one scoreless inning in the Braves' 5-4, 10-inning loss at San Francisco on Friday. Kimbrel is attempting to rejuvenate his career after a disappointing 2024 season in which he went 7-5 with a 5.33 ERA and 23 saves for the Baltimore Orioles, who released him last September. ___ AP MLB: recommended
Newsweek
33 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Blockbuster Trade Idea Sees Lakers Land Lauri Markkanen
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Los Angeles Lakers have a critical summer ahead of them. There will be a ton on the Lakers' plate, and as the NBA season winds down, they will be at the forefront of the offseason. More Lakers news: Lakers Could Miss Out on Star Center The Lakers are a polarizing team, and as always, they are projected to make a significant move to bolster their roster. That will be no different this offseason, as they could be in line to trade for a star big man. It is clear that the Lakers need to bolster their frontcourt, particularly at the center position. L.A. lacked a solid center after it traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic. While the trade helps them in the long run, it certainly hurts them in the short term. That was evident in the playoffs, but with the season over and the offseason ahead, the Lakers could make a massive trade. In this hypothetical scenario laid out by NBA writer Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, the Lakers manage to acquire All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz. Here's how the proposed deal is structured: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks handles the ball defended by Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz during the second half at Madison Square Garden on January 01, 2025 in New York... Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks handles the ball defended by Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz during the second half at Madison Square Garden on January 01, 2025 in New York City. More Photo byLos Angeles Lakers Receive: F Lauri Markkanen Utah Jazz Receive: F Rui Hachimura, G/F Dalton Knecht, PG Gabe Vincent, F Maxi Kleber, 2031 first-round pick (unprotected) "The Lakers will always be on the hunt for stars, yet are limited in trade assets after acquiring Luka Dončić at the deadline. Markkanen is probably the best level of player Los Angeles can reasonably acquire and would be a strong third option behind Dončić and LeBron James. "Adding a 7-footer who can play either forward position and fill short bursts as a stretch-5 gives the Lakers a ton of versatility with their lineups and helps an offense that ranked 12th out of 16 teams this postseason." In the scenario, the Lakers lose four key players, but it only costs them one of their two first-round picks available for trade. The first-round pick in this scenario is the 2031 pick, the only one that the Charlotte Hornets offered for Mark Williams before that deal was rescinded. It is a hefty price still; however, Markkanen could be a player who helps the Lakers on both sides of the ball. While his durability is a question mark, having not played over 60 games in the past two seasons. Nevertheless, there is no denying his talent, as evidenced by his career scoring average of 18.2 points per game. Markkanen could be the piece to take the Lakers to the next level, and this trade would open up the books for the Lakers to get creative in free agency. More NBA news: Celtics Given Big Update on Kristaps Porzingis Future Mavericks Narrowing Options for 2025 No 1 Draft Choice For more Los Angeles Lakers news and NBA news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
