Don Venterosa
DON VENTEROSA (born 1953)
Inducted 2021
Below is Mark Cameron’s Nominating Letter:
Since starting Olympic Weightlifting in 1979 at the age of 26, Don has been a critical part of New England Weightlifting as a competitor, coach, organizer and providing “behind the scenes infrastructure”. Don was often the guy that hauled the platforms and weights, set them up and tore them down. Arriving first and leaving last and usually at his own expense.
Individual Accomplishments
USAW Number: 650
USA Weightlifting Coach, Weightlifter & Administrator for over forty years.
Don broke many New England Masters records two of the most difficult and memorable records were those of Mark Cameron and Curt Cardine.
Don founded the Norwood Olympic Training Center in March 1990. For a long time, it was one of the most active training centers in New England.
As part of the NOTC effort:
Sponsored USA Men’s weightlifting team visit in 1998.
Sponsored many lifters from many countries to NOTC, including Russia, Poland, Kazakhstan, Jordan and the Czech Republic.
Supported and sponsored many of our local lifters such as Yasha Kahn, Allie Henry-Jarvis (Team USA), Joel Quintong and Mike Nackoul (Team USA).
In 2013 brought Russian Vasili Polovnikov to the NOTC to live here and coach.
In October, November and December 2013 sponsored a weightlifting tour and seminars to thirteen cities from Boston to Hawaii featuring Russians Vasili Polovnikov, Russian Domenty, and Kazakh Ilia, and USA’s Yasha Khan.
In December of 2013 got together this group of lifters and our own USA coach Zygmunt Smalcerz and met in California for a seminar.
Alongside his Lifting and coaching Don is a Cancer survivor. In 2009 Don was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma which required three years of chemotherapy and two years of stem cell transplants and isolation.
These travails did not stop him as he still loved the sport.
At the National Masters Championships at Bryant College in RI, 2011. Despite Chemotherapy two days before Don won his class.
During the next few years Don continued lifting as a master at a top level in four different weight classes; 85kg, 94kg, 105kg and 105+kg, setting records in each class. From the age of 40 to 55 his lifts did not vary 5kg.
Don has competed, coached, and refereed at the Bay State Games for as long as they have been held along with helping set up and organize the event. This has included many extra hours before and after the meet.
In addition to his lifting efforts Don started and ran the New England Law Enforcement Strongman Championships for seven years. This event raised money for a Corrections Officer who died on the operating table in the mid-1990s.
I am sure the author has missed many items that would warrant Don Venterosa’s induction into the New England Weightlifting Hall of Fame. Don has always been the first to offer assistance to meet directors and all lifters are welcome at his facility. Don has been at the center of the New England weightlifting scene for over 40 years.