June 9, 2006

Petite Power

Adversity strengthens the bond Alan and Bonnie Aerts share in powerlifting

By Jeff Frazee
Times Staff

Although Alan and Bonnie Aerts are known locally for lavish Christmas décor on their Monte Sereno home, they’re quickly making names for themselves in another arena – powerlifting.

Bonnie Aerts, United States Powerlifting Federation bench press record holder, sits at her husband's desk displaying the Aerts' style, which combines exquisite taste and down-to-earth fashion. Photo by Jeff Frazee

Bonnie Aerts recently set a California and an American record for bench press in the United States Powerlifting Federation.

As part of her training, Bonnie never knows how much weight she is lifting. She trusts her husband to keep track of her weights and her abilities, and it paid off as she set two records in her first competition on May 20 at Evergreen Valley High School. Bonnie broke the previous bench press record in her age group and weight category, besting the 1985 mark of 159.5 pounds.

The United States Powerlifting Federation, in which the couple competes, was established in 1968. "It's the oldest and one of the most stringent," powerlifting organizations, Alan said.

The USPF oversees three competitions: squat, bench press and dead lift. Alan admitted that he generally laughs inside when people brag to him about how much they can bench press, because following the USPF guidelines will knock 100 pounds off the amount you lift in the gym. Each lifter is allowed three one-minute lifts. The best of those three lifts is the registered score for the day.

Bonnie and Alan are also physically at opposite ends of the spectrum. Alan's muscular frame weighs nearly 300 pounds. By all appearances, it's no surprise that he is a power lifter. Bonnie, meanwhile, is fit, although she admits, "I'm a bodybuilder, not a powerlifter."

As Alan was preparing for competition, he told Bonnie, "Look at some of these records. You're strong. You can do this." Bonnie agreed to one competition, just to say she did it.

"I wanted out," said Bonnie, after seeing the large women she would be competing with. "Sometimes you don't know how to bow out gracefully, and I couldn't figure out how to get out of it."

Weighing in at just 114 pounds, Bonnie said she felt the added stress of being the first woman to compete. Soon after, however, her fears were laid to rest.

On her second lift, Bonnie broke the American record for Masters 114.5 pound bench press held by Karin Reagan since 1985.

"I don't even know these people,” she said. “You would think they were your competition, but they were all cheering for me."

The Aert's Monte Sereno home, famous locally for its lavish holiday decorations, which ended in 2004 by city ordinance, includes private his and hers gyms.

"I have a trainer, but he is the one who really watches over me," Bonnie said of Alan. "Our whole day is based around our training at night."

"This is high intensity…for two hours, just working on our bench press," added Alan. "She is technical in training. I'm just a brut."

It takes much more than time and money to keep the couple on top of their game. An average week includes 10 doctor visits for Alan, who has a rare blood disorder that thickens his blood, preventing flow to his small arteries. In addition, Alan said he suffers from brittle platelets in the blood.

"I have two things that make each other worse, and they are both incurable," he said.

Bonnie takes Alan for regular treatments at Stanford that keep him alive, but there is no long-term solution. Eventually, Alan said he will suffer a stroke or a heart attack.

“There’s no way your heart can pump sludge forever,” he said.

Still, health problems haven’t stopped the couple from enjoying their time together, whether it’s powerlifting, or any other type of activity they share. That includes Alan’s visits to the hospital for MRI exams and other procedures. Bonnie always is faithfully by his side.

"In the doctor’s office they try to keep you apart. No, we're not going to be separated," said Alan. "We say if we've got one day, one month or one year, we're going to spend it together."

With regret, Alan added, "It's much harder on the spouse. You feel sorry for them. They have to go through it, and they don't have the disease."

In the way the Aerts constantly finish each other's thoughts, they resemble a couple 10 years older than they are.

After spending the first 20 years of their marriage apart while Alan built their company, Custom Vending Systems, Bonnie said, "Basically, we're together all the time. We love being together."

Bonnie, who suffers from Graves disease, a thyroid disorder, said it is competing with these difficulties that make the couple’s wins that much sweeter.

“With all these problems, we're good to work together,” she said. “We understand each other. Without these problems, [our awards] would be nothing."

On Aug. 5, the Aerts will be competing on Muscle Beach in Venice, Calif. Alan stands poised to overtake the American bench press record of 507 pounds. Referring to her bench press record, Bonnie simply said, "I want another one."

Alan, in keeping with the couple’s rule not to tell Bonnie how much she is lifting, simply said that she has already lifted more than her winning weight during practices.

Westmont, Del Mar athletes compete at 2006 CCS Track Finals

The 2006 CCS Track and Field Finals had ample Campbell representation among the crowd of competitors on May 26 at San Jose City College.

Del Mar’s Emilio Hernandez

Among the Campbell athletes was Del Mar’s Emilio Hernandez, who placed first in the boys’ high jump competition, registering a jump of six feet and six inches, advancing to the CIF State Meet in Norwalk on June 2 and 3. Hernandez also competed in the boys’ triple jump, finishing sixth with a jump of 44 feet and 8.5 inches, missing the cut for the state meet.

At the state meet, Hernandez missed qualifying for the finals in the high jump on June 3, posting a six foot, five inch jump during the preliminary round on June 2 to finish in a seven-way tie for tenth place.

In addition to Hernandez, Del Mar’s Angel Gonzalez also competed at the CCS Track Finals in the boys’ 1600-meter run, posting a time of 4-minutes and 33.5 seconds for a tenth place finish, missing the cut for the CIF State Meet.

Westmont’s lone representative at the CCS Finals was junior Kevin Blakely, who finished tenth in the boys’ triple jump competition with a registered jump of 42 feet and 4.75 inches.

—Photos by Jeff Frazee

Westmont, Del Mar BVAL All-League honors for Spring 2006

Westmont baseball – Mt. Hamilton Division
Second Team - Ryan Kanzaki
Second Team - Steven Brady

Del Mar baseball – Santa Teresa Division
Co-Sophomore of the Year - Jesse Van Sickle

First Team - Tim Steeves

Second Team - Chris Skinner
Second Team - Nick Palermo

Westmont softball – Mt. Hamilton Division
Sophomore of the Year - Robyn Aranjo

First Team – Whitney Morris
First Team - Robyn Aranjo

Second Team – Jacque Kuhny
Second Team - Ashley Britton

Del Mar softball - Santa Teresa Division
First Team - Angelina Gomez
First Team - Kellene Condie

Second Team - Anna Myers
Second Team - Lauren Zweigle

Westmont boys’ volleyball – Mt. Hamilton Division
First Team – John Ng-Parish

Second Team - Landon Jones