Selma High School is preparing to host some of the strongest individuals from around the southeast.

Selma will host the Southern Powerlifting Federation Full Power Meet on Saturday, Feb. 23.

Robert Wilkerson, strength and conditioning coach for Selma High School and meet director, said the event will see participants competing in a number of different lifts.

“We’re going to be in the high school at the old competition gym, and it’s going to be the SPF Full Power Meet,” Wilkerson said. “In the meet, we’re going to be doing bench, squat, deadlift, bench for reps, and max curls.”

Wilkerson said he’s expecting about 30 to 40 lifters for the meet, and they’ll come to Selma from many states around the region.

“It’s going to be a state meet, which people from all over the state will be here, and from all over the South will come. There are going to be lifters from Mississippi, Georgia, maybe Tennessee, Alabama, and hopefully from a little further out,” Wilkerson said. “But mostly it’s going to be guys from the southern Alabama area, northern Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.

“World records, national records and state records can be set there. This is not just a high school meet. It’s actually the kind of federation I compete in,” Wilkerson said. “I’m a professional powerlifter. Most of them that are going to be there are some guys that I’ve competed with, competed against, and just some old friends from over the years. It’ll be judged by me and others that actually judge.”

Wilkerson said walk-ins are welcome and people can sign in on Friday, Feb. 22.

There will be a weigh-in on Friday before the competition, and Saturday the rules briefing will start at 9:30 a.m., and then the meet will start at 10:30 a.m.

Spectators are welcome and concessions will be sold.

Wilkerson said it’s not primarily a high school meet, but players and students at Selma High School will be involved.

“Most people do it for recreation, some people do it for records. I will maybe get a few high school kids, like Jeremiah Walker to enter, or maybe let him do deadlift or something if training is going well for us,” Wilkerson said. “I’m going to get some of the kids to come watch, help out, spot, load weights. Mostly, it’s to open up the eyes of the kids around here, and the people of Selma, too.”

Wilkerson said he’s hoping that putting on a good meet will help Selma High School attract the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s state weightlifting meet.

“Hopefully, we’ll get a good turnout. I really want to get it pushed because I would like the state weightlifting meet itself here,” Wilkerson said. “I’m working with the IPA [International Powerlifting Association], I’ve got friends of mine in that’s in the USAPL.”

Wilkerson added the meet could expose the students and players to something new and exciting.

“If we get one going in the high school, I feel like people will enjoy it and want to see it,” Wilkerson said. “There’s kids I know here and just around in general that I know if they get what we call the ‘iron bug’ where they see it and get in action with it, then they will enjoy it and it could take them places. It’s fun. Men, women, children — I’ve seen guys 70 years old compete.”