Iron Interview #2: Tom Sroka!

[Curt James]

Tom Sroka, age 27, is a resident of Fort Mill, South Carolina. The 6'0", 305-pound weightlifter has his bachelor's degree in Physical Education (K-12 Teacher Certification) with minors in Health Education and Exercise Science from Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois.

Sroka worked as the PE teacher at Immaculate Conception Grade School in Elmhurst, Illinois from 2010 to 2012 and the Throws Coach at North Central College Track and Field in Naperville, Illinois for the same time period. He was also the Throws Coach at Monte Vista High School Track and Field in Danville, California in 2012.

He has served as Weightlifting Coach at Crossfit Vitality in Concord, Crossfit Northlake in Charlotte, Crossfit Weddington in Weddington – all North Carolina locations – and Crossfit Lake Wylie in Lake Wylie, South Carolina from 2012 to the present.

His training centers have included California Strength in San Ramon, California from January 2012 to June 2012 and MuscleDriver USA in Fort Mill, South Carolina from June 2012 to the present. Let's learn more about weightlifter Tom Sroka!

Q: How did you discover Olympic weightlifting events?

A: I got into weightlifting during high school. Instead of doing a regular PE class you had the option of taking a barbell class if you did a sport. I was always intrigued with trying to lift more weight than I did the day before and enjoyed the feeling of self-betterment. I then realized the benefits that training had on my sports performance and dove into training head-on, spending all my spare time in the gym.

As I went through college I was more enthused to be in the weight room training than out on the field participating in my sport. I was an All-American shot putter in college but spent more time lifting than throwing which is why I think the Head Athletic Trainer introduced me to Olympic Weightlifting.

After college was over I wanted to still compete so I dabbled in strongman and Highland games competitions, but I still liked lifting more than training the events themselves. I met a friend through the games and started working for her gym as a personal trainer on the side. One day she saw me messing around with one arm snatches and showed me how to do a real snatch. She encouraged me to give weightlifting competitions a shot and I declined. She then passed my name along to Glenn Pendlay who had a team of weightlifters out in San Ramon California and at the time I was working with a local college's throwers.

Glenn invited me out to California for a week to train and learn the lifts and I took it as a good opportunity to bring some knowledge back to my current jobs. After a week I was hooked and got invited to come out and train full-time so I put in my resignation with my jobs and moved out to California to train. I was there until June when part of the team relocated to Fort Mill, SC where MuscleDriver USA is located. The rest is history and I don't regret the choice for one second.



Some of my most memorable lifts are the first time I deadlifted 600 lbs. at a commercial gym on Christmas break and ending up bending the bar. I also laugh about passing out the first time I cleaned 400 lbs. But the lift I am most proud of to date is at this past year's American Open; I made an 11 kilogram jump (about 24 pounds) to clean and jerk 198 kilograms (about 435 lbs.) to win my first national competition. I try not to focus too much on past lifts and accomplishments because the best is always yet to come and I can't wait to hit the next big lift.

Read the entire interview @ http://www.rxmuscle.com/strength-art...tom-sroka.html

And check out all the athlete profiles @ http://www.rxmuscle.com/strength-art...-profiles.html

[Ibarramedia]

Good and interesting write up Curt. I wonder how many people are doing Olympic Weightlifting, Powerliting, strongman and Highland games simultaneously.

[Granite-Dawg]

Great interview Curt!!


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[Curt James]

Good and interesting write up Curt. I wonder how many people are doing Olympic Weightlifting, Powerliting, strongman and Highland games simultaneously.

That would be interesting to know.

Great interview Curt!!

Thanks for reading, G-D.

My practice is to send out a basic interview form to answer by email and then include some follow-up questions to make things seem more conversational... not so scripted. I asked about Sroka's interests outside the gym and he mentioned riding motorcycle.

Q: Have you done Sturgis, Daytona, or any other events?

A: I'm technically still riding on my permit so I haven't gone very far on my bike. The longest trip I've done is a little over an hour. I want to get more comfortable with my bike and obviously get my license before I take a trip on it to anywhere. Friends keep trying to get me to go riding in the Smokies, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that just yet.