ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Alexis Beaulieu

Alexis Beaulieu, a rising senior at Windermere Prep, recently was named an All-American Athlete by the National High School Strength Coaches Association. Beaulieu currently holds a 4.1 weighted GPA and is president of the sports medicine club at her school.

Tell us a little bit about your last year of competition.
This will be our fourth year of having the girls weightlifting program as part of the school. … And for us to go through this tremendous amount of growth just within three years going on four — it’s crazy. I’m really looking forward to what we can accomplish this year. 

What are your expectations for the upcoming season? 
I do expect to hopefully win districts again. Hopefully, I’ll place higher in the region and quality for states. That’s always the goal ever since I qualified my sophomore year. So … just to do better every week. … It’s always competing against yourself that’s always the goal. 

What’s your favorite thing about the strength and conditioning program? 
I love the environment. I love the girls and our coaches. … I’m really grateful for coach (Micah) Kurtz, because he creates such a welcoming environment but also embraces mistakes and wanting to make yourself better. Just the environment … of strong girls all around supporting (one another) — it’s an amazing environment to be around. 

Why weightlifting?
I did competitive dance at a studio, not at the school, from my later years in lower school to middle school. I knew that I didn’t want to continue through high school. So, I was looking for something to replace it with that would keep me active, strong and busy, because I love being busy. And so my parents and I were talking, and I decided to try out coach Kurtz’s program. After going to a few lifts, I started liking it, and I started to show up more, almost every day, and he persuaded me to join the weightlifting team. 

How do you feel about being named an All-American Athlete by the NHSSCA? 
It’s honestly such an honor. I was thinking about it last night, and you know, I go to school with a lot of children of pro athletes. So you see them winning all these awards, and it’s great. …  My parents competed when they were in high school, but they are not pro athletes, so for me, it is still kind of a shock. I grew up with a lot of these kids, and now I am achieving it for myself, and it’s surreal. … But it’s such a huge title that you hear about in TV shows, in news and movies, and to know that that’s me — that’s crazy. 

What’s your favorite thing to do during the summer? 
I love coming here. I also assist coach Kurtz with his F.A.S.S.T. program. It works with middle (and) lower school kids in teaching them how to be better athletes and to get stronger and the basics of weightlifting, and it prepares them to transition into high school smoothly. I love coaching. I love just surrounding myself with family and friends, and going to the beach on vacation.

What’s your favorite movie? Why? 
“Just Go With It,” with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. I love that movie; it has good vibes. 

Three things you would take to a deserted island. 
Water for sure. I’m always drinking water, and I sweat a lot, so something to cool me off. Definitely food — I think I would bring Wagyu steak; that’s one of my favorite foods. And I would bring family. 

What’s the best vacation place you’ve visited?
I love going to Vegas. My family likes going there, and I’m going there in about a month. … I’m going to see Silk Sonic and The Weeknd — they are two of my favorite artists, so I’m very excited to see them in concert. 

Who is your favorite superhero? 
I didn’t watch all the Marvel movies, but I did see Black Panther. I honestly really liked that movie a lot, so he would probably be my favorite. Obviously, family means a lot to him in the movie, and I feel like I can relate to that. 

What would you like to study in college? 
I’m definitely looking into something with sports. ... I’m thinking like sports med or sports administration. 

Do you know where you will be going to college? 
I’m going to stay in the South. I’m like fifth generation from Florida, so I don’t think I can picture me in the North. I just visited LSU last weekend, and I’m going to visit Clemson soon and some schools around South Carolina and North Carolina. I’ve been thinking about Alabama a lot, too — big sports school. Just anywhere in the South that has a big sports school.