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Story Archives: Iron dreams began in local garage


Iron dreams began in local garage
by Cody Futrell - posted Thursday, May 21st, 2009 @ 11:59 pmE-mail Story E-mail Story | Print Story Print Story 
In the most unlikely of places, it began. Local gastroenterologist Dr. Butch Dunn began Iron Force Gym out of his garage in 2003.

A former All-American powerlifter who won a national championship in 1985, Dunn personally financed the weights and the space for anyone who wanted to get into powerlifting and weight training to have a good place to get the best work-out possible.

"I will take anyone who is really serious about the sport," Dr. Butch Dunn said. "This thing began in the upstairs of my house, then my garage. Now we have a beautiful new facility on McMillan Road that opened last year."

Also on that Bulldog team was current West Monroe High School strength coach Casey Sanders.

Dunn does not just train the 11 guys who come from the high school and college ranks to lift at Iron Force, he has also recently gotten back into the sport in the Masters division of the APF circuit.

Dunn returned after losing a bet to his son Jordan Dunn. The younger Dunn is now a member of the U.S. National team and set world and national records at the last Junior Nationals event in Florida.

The group went to the Sunshine state and brought back a second consecutive national championship as a team.

Butch Dunn won the National Masters Championship in 2008 with a squat equal to son Jordan, 804 lbs. He also had a bench press of 705 lbs. and a deadlift of 600 lbs.

Keith Caveretta also competes in the Masters division of the APF circuit. He helps Dunn train the young men, along with West Monroe High School powerlifting coach Billy Bell. "I was retired for a long time," Caveretta said. "Butch (Dunn) talked me into coming out of retirement and it has been a lot of fun with these guys."

Jordan Dunn is the top lifter on the team and his a two time world junior champion. The OCS junior has also lifted his way to three straight national championships all across America.

Conrad Cable went to his first junior national even this year and had a squat of 683 lbs as well as a bench press of 468 lbs. Cable finished up with a deadlift of 450 lbs.

Ryan May tied that Cable squat of 683 lbs.at nationals and also did a bench press of 441 lbs. and a deadlift of 601 lbs.

Jacob Sanders also attended his first APF National event this year and completed lifts of 501 lbs. in the squat, 385 lbs. on bench press, and 475 lbs. on deadlift.

Nathan Bird has lifted with the team for three years and squatted 556 lbs. this year. He also had a bench press of 330 lbs. and a deadlift of 535 lbs.

In the 18-19 year old division of the APF Junior Nationals, Josh Winstead took home the gold after a squat of 479 lbs., a bench press of 250 lbs., and a deadlift of 450 lbs. The events are won after each event's pounds are added together for a total score.

Brad Bell, the son of Billy Bell, was the WPC world Champion in 2008 with a best squat of 644 lbs. Bell also had a bench press of 352 lbs. and deadlift of a whopping 584 lbs.

Ryan May won his weight class in 2009 with a squat of 683 lbs., bench press of 441 lbs. and deadlift of 601 lbs.

Derek Jones and Greg Allen round out the team with even more national championship gold.

Jones won the title for his class in both 2008 and 2009. He squatted 640 lbs. along with a bench press of 424 lbs. and deadlift of 644 lbs.

Allen also won the APF championship this year. He squatted 645 lbs. and had a bench press best of 430 lbs. Allen completed a deadlift of 535 lbs.

"We have a lot of fun," Butch Dunn said. "The only thing I ask of these guys is that they show up and they work hard. I could not do it without the commitment of Billy (Bell) and Keith (Caveretta) those guys are awesome."

With the newfound interest and facilities in the sport of powerlifting, Dunn expects there to be an increased interest in his gym. The gym is free to anyone wanting to come out and work hard.

"We have had interest from a few more people," Dunn said. "I hope that we will expand and keep getting bigger and better."
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