I have written twice already on the importance of using our words. No, screaming at someone calling them names you barely understand isn’t using your words, it’s using propaganda. But that is for another day.

It is rarely more important than in the sport of weightlifting to use the proper language. For example, if your event happens to get shut down on day one because of a potential thunderstorm that actually lasted approximately 33 minutes and the later than scheduled weigh-in needs to take place at a nearby hotel because we couldn’t get into the venue until long after the sun came back out, we do not say that there is a “venue change.” There is absolutely a “location change” for weigh-in’s; however; if you claim that there is a “venue change” to a coach, the coach will immediately show signs of panic because they weren’t aware that there were alternative venues he now needs to get his lifter to with short notice.

Two little words, ‘location’ and ‘venue.’ Very different meanings, especially to weightlifters. We are taught very early on that words matter and if you use them incorrectly, we’re going to ask for clarification and if this clarification is needed multiple times, say at a Marshall’s table in the warm-up area at a meet where at least 5 lifters are fighting for a podium spot, weightlifters and weightlifting coaches tend to get a bit testy. I know. I’ve had to file a SafeSport complaint against one coach for his two hours of bullying and harassing me because I used a word that he felt was incorrect at a meet. SafeSport agreed with me that his behavior was unacceptable and acted accordingly. Rare win for Jules against a USAW board member.

For those not involved in weightlifting, the “back of the house”, i.e. the warm-up area is actually where the magic happens at a meet. I love it. It is orchestrated chaos. Coaches watching what other coaches are doing; lifters going through their pre-meet rituals; openers being raised or lowered depending on how warming up is going, and finally, heading out to the platform to lift. The smell of tiger balm and the sounds of weights dropping, I absolutely love it.

Those who are serving as Marshall’s in the back are in charge of two things, lifting attempts and helping the session to keep moving so as not to delay the minutes that coaches are assuming their lifters have until they go out to the front. The cards in front of me pictured above is what coaches or lifters must fill out in order for an attempt to be entered into the computer (by a 2nd Marshall) and shown on screens both in the back; in the front, and most importantly at the speaker’s table. One change from one coach can force a cascade of more changes by other coaches, especially if you are in a session where multiple people are vying for those medal spots.

The lifters have it easy, they go lift. Those handling them in the back have the pressure of perfectly warming up the lifter; making sure any necessary changes to the lifter’s cards are made in time; out-coaching the other coaches trying to out-coach them; and not throwing hands at the Marshalls when they move too slow and changes don’t get made it time. It is high pressure and there is a very specific language used to alleviate some of this pressure at the Marshall’s table.

Declare and Change. That’s it. There are no deviations from, ‘declare‘ and ‘change.’ A lifter has 30 seconds on their clock to declare. After that, they may make up to two changes to that next attempt. If they first do not declare, then they may not make a change. So say, when the card Marshall tells the computer Marshall that a lifter declares a number to be entered onto the computer system, it is necessary for the computer Marshall to confirm with the cards Marshall that ‘x lifter declares x amount of weight.’ Any deviation to that sentence will bring out a not very patient side of a coach who will state that it was a declaration and not a change. Add in multiple deviations to that sentence and you can have full on anarchy in the back.

When there is Marshall chaos in the back, depending on the meet and the coaches, it’s not good. In 2019, Iranian Olympian Kianoush Rostami’s coaches put in for an opening change that came in too late and wasn’t recognized by the computer system. The delay and chaos (the bad kind) that ensued was legendary. Ultimately, Rostami bombed out in the snatch; threw a full-on temper tantrum in the back after missing his first two attempts while challenger Tian Tao also was on the cusp of bombing out and after Rostami bombed out, he threw another temper tantrum on the platform. It was a spectacular display of “shit went south in the back.” I’m fairly determined not to have that happen on my watch. While our meets do not hold Olympic implications for the lifters (for the most part), they ARE incredibly important for those lifting. They will be treated as such.

Sitting at the Marshall table is no joke. You are, at times, the punching bag for stressed coaches and doing a few simple things to attempt to alleviate coach’s target practice is something I strive for. Because of this, when working with a brand new person who isn’t very comfortable with the fast pace necessary in the back, I’ll do a few things before we start to give them a heads up that things are going to get spicy. I’ll alert the other Marshall that there may be, for example, five women vying for a podium spot. That means changes will come in fast and furious, be prepared. Also, we want to confirm with each other that a declaration or a change is to be entered but we want to keep chatter down to a minimum so as not to slow down other changes coming in. It should also be explained that those fighting for the top will be towards the end of the session so even if the session started out comfortable and steady, well, shit’s about to get moving.

Marshalling a weightlifting session is not for everyone. If the fast pace is too stressful and makes you shut down, it is not for you. If you have a difficult time using the words, declare and change, it is not for you. If a card Marshall tells you that ‘lifter x declares x amount of weight’ and you repeat back, ‘lifter x changes to x amount of weight’ the coach will immediately question if they’ve lost a chance to change because they missed a declaration. To the non-weightlifter, it probably seems silly. Believe me, I agree. At the end of the day, I willingly walk into this weightlifting thing so I need to play by their rules. Sorry not sorry. If you don’t have what it takes to do this thing, go find another way to contribute. Contributing is always appreciated. I’ve recently had to bow out of contributing in a certain way because it wasn’t a good fit. There is absolutely nothing wrong admitting that certain chores aren’t a good fit.

There IS however, something desperately wrong with blaming someone else because you cannot handle the stress of specific situations. That is wrong. Don’t do that. Understand your limitations and go forth accordingly. Sitting next to someone for two hours who is trying to not only help you but also keep a weightlifting session moving and not once saying, “hey, I’m trying here but I feel like you’re talking down to me and that’s not helping me” but putting that someone on blast 7 hours later in an email is not okay. Threatening that person with bodily harm after they attempt to talk with you the next day is not okay. Really any time a man threatens a woman with bodily harm, no matter the reason, it is not okay. Lunging at a woman is not okay. Telling her she absolutely does not want to be standing in front of you right now (or what?) is not okay.

Ultimately, I’m hoping this man has had a chance to think about treating a colleague this way and has come to understand that it wasn’t okay. If not, he can discuss it further with the HotHunkyHubs, who really doesn’t care how a man felt but rather how he behaved towards Mrs. HotHunkyHubs.

Understand this, words matter. At times, it may seem silly and why would it matter that the words are being mixed up? It matters. Sorry not sorry. Buck up and just repeat the words that were said to you originally. See how easy that is?

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.