AAU Strength Sports Announces Hall of Fame Honorees, Athlete and Meet Director of the Year

ORLANDO - Amateur Athletic Union Strength Sports announced today the winners of the 2022 National Strength Sports Awards and the newly elected AAU Strength Sports Hall of Fame inductees.

The three new members elected to the AAU Strength Sports Hall of Fame are Rocky Tilson, of Morristown, Indiana; Dr. Rodney Gaines, of Norfolk, VA; and Hal Pittman, of Silver Spring, MD.

Rocky Tilson has been a competitor in AAU Bodybuilding, Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Feats of Strength for more than 40 years. His first AAU Strength Sports competition was the 1977 AAU Teenage Mr. Indianapolis bodybuilding championships at the age of 15. Later, he competed in AAU Powerlifting, Weightlifting and Feats of Strength, winning the AAU Weightlifting North American and World Championships eight years in a row, and setting American and world records in weightlifting, powerlifting and Feats of Strength. Rocky is also a nationally-renown strength coach and AAU International judge, was the 2017 AAU Strength Sports National Athlete of the Year and received the AAU Brother Bennett Award in 2019.

Dr. Rodney Gaines is an Assistant professor in the Hampton University Department of Sport Science and Wellness and has a history in AAU Bodybuilding competition dating to the 1980s. He has won dozens of AAU bodybuilding titles in a competitive career stretching 35 years, including the AAU Central Atlantic Championship, AAU Virginia State Championship, AAU World Championship (Open & Masters divisions) and AAU Mr. Universe (Sports Model, Classic Bodybuilding, Elite & Masters divisions). Rodney has also promoted and judged bodybuilding competitions and started the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) Bodybuilding and Fitness Special Interest group, where AAU and other organizations can market and highlight events.

Hal Pittman has coached, judged, competed in, and promoted AAU Powerlifting since 2009. He promoted two AAU virtual world championships from Afghanistan in 2011; coordinated a 2011 – 2012 AAU coaching exchange with Afghanistan; and facilitated the Afghan National Powerlifting Team attending the 2013, 2014 and 2015 AAU World Championships. He has also promoted two AAU Armed Forces Nationals, served as international judge nine years in a row at the AAU Junior Olympic Games, created the JROGames combine competition, and has broken Master’s American and world bench press records in three weight classes. Hal received the 2017 AAU Brother Bennett Award and was 2021 AAU Meet Director of the Year.

This year’s Strength Sports Athlete of the Year competition was keen, with panel judges reviewing the records of numerous athletes over a two-week period. The 2022 AAU Strength Sports Athletes of the Year winners are:

2022 AAU Powerlifting Junior Male Athlete of the Year:  Asher Cohen
2022 AAU Powerlifting Senior Male Athlete of the Year: Raymond Fougnier
2022 AAU Feats of Strength Senior Male Athlete of the Year: Duane Burlingame
2022 AAU Men’s Bodybuilding/Physique Senior Athlete of the Year: Martin Drake
2022 AAU Powerlifting Junior Female Athlete of the Year:  Eva Cohen
2022 Feats of Strength Senior Female Athlete of the Year:  Anita Vargo

Additionally, the judging panel selected one Overall Male and one Overall Female Athlete of the Year from among all Athlete of the Year winners. The 2022 AAU Strength Sports Overall Male Athlete of the Year is Ray Fougnier, of Michigan, and the 2022 AAU Strength Sports Overall Female Athlete of the Year is Anita Vargo, of Washington.

Glenda Drake will receive the 2022 Brother Bennett Award, given for exceptional volunteerism to AAU Strength Sports. Martin Drake will receive the 2022 AAU Strength Sports Meet Director of the Year award.

The awards will be presented, and the Hall of Fame induction will occur Saturday, October 1 during the AAU World Powerlifting, Weightlifting and Feats of Strength Championships at the Rio Hotel, Las Vegas, NV.