Jerad Schuldies had more on his mind at Saturday’s Dakota Open Powerlifting Meet in Rapid City than just lifting the weight over his head.

The 27-year-old Spearfish man dedicated his efforts to Piedmont-Stagebarn school principal Ethan Dschaak, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Dschaak has been at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., since Nov. 9.

Schuldies’ mother, Carolyn, said he and Dschaak have known each other for 12 or 13 years. Dschaak coached Schuldies in Special Olympics athletics.

“Ethan started Jerad on his sports career,” Carolyn Schuldies said. “He has also been an awesome friend.”

Jerad Schuldies started weightlifting 11 years ago while attending Sturgis Brown High School. Steve Keszler introduced the sport to Schuldies.

“I really like my coaches,” Schuldies said about weightlifting’s appeal to him. “It makes me forget about myself.”

Schuldies and his Spearfish-based Northern Hills Training Center  teammates competed in Flight A on Saturday. They laid on a platform while coach Brent Steinbach made sure they were ready and offered last-minute encouragement. Spotters positioned on each side of the weight bar protected the lifter if necessary.

Each competitor had three attempts to lift the weight, which increased with every passing round.

Schuldies was not the only one thinking about Dschaak. Steinbach attended the same school as the former Sturgis boys basketball coach.

“I have not heard anyone ever say anything negative about Ethan,” said Steinbach, who has coached the lifters with his wife Tracey for about one year. That time started when NHTC employee Steve Azevedo asked them to help give the students gymnasium activities.

Working with the athletes gives the Steinbachs many great moments.

“We see the excitement on their faces,” Brent Steinbach said. “That’s all the reward we need.”

The NHTC club boasts of 20 members who train one hour every Tuesday and Thursday. Schuldies said he works on free weights and shoulder exercises.

Lifters’ ages range from 18 to 49 years. Steinbach said repetition, determination and persistence are keys to their accomplishments.

“We can’t do this without our volunteers and trainers,” Tracey Steinbach said. Five volunteers lend their expertise.

NHTC members competed at the Special Olympics Power Lifting state meet in May. Training will begin after the holidays for the May 2010 Special Olympics.

Steinbach was nominated as a South Dakota National Powerlifting alternate coach.