Don Haley posthumously        2000

 

Don Haley dedicated over 70 years to the sport of weightlifting in all of its forms, including Olympic style weightlifting, powerlifting and physique competition. His lifelong pursuit of fitness through exercise earned him numerous awards including winning the 1949 California heavy weight division in Olympic lifting. He shared his passion for weightlifting by training and guiding others in the sport and continued to personally lift weights even at the age of 94. He contributed substantially to the growth and development of the Southern California Weightlifting Association holding leadership roles in that organization for which he was awarded the Southern California Weightlifting Association the Man of the Year in 1963. He held a Lifetime AAU membership (#514) and received numerous additional awards among which included the Southern Pacific Weightlifting Recognition Award, the Southern California Weightlifting Assn. Special Recognition Award, and the Southern California Weightlifting Assn. Special Appreciation Award 1975. He was inducted into the National Weightlifting Hall of Fame and the National Powerlifting Hall of Fame. Don went on to become a national chairman of the National A.A.U. Weightlifting Committee and President of the U.S.P.F. Don was pivotal as chairman in drafting of the original rules for Powerlifting for AAU sanctioned events.

 

 

After years offering administrative assistance at many weightlifting events Fran trained and won in her age and weight category in powerlifting while in her sixties. Don and Fran then continued to work closely together to manage and referee various powerlifting events both nationally and internationally for many years. Together they received numerous awards that included but are not limited to the AAU USA ‘The Legacy of Powerlifting Continues’ Recognition Award, the International Powerlifting Referee Recognition Award, USPF Master Lifters 1991 Recognition Award, and the Outstanding performance in Olympic Lifting in 1994. They were deeply involved in national and international Paralympics and Don became an IPC International Referee, Category I, and Fran an IPC International Referee, Category II. In addition to the USPF and AAU, their affiliations included the American Weightlifting Assn., the World Police and Fire Games, Special Olympics International, and the International Paralympic Committee and Disabled Sports U.S.A.  Included among the many other recognitions that both Don and Fran received together were: Brother Bennet Award (2000), the California State Powerlifting Championship Powerfest Referee Recognition Award and American Drug Free Powerlifting Association Recognition Award (2004), Certificate of Achievement from the U.S. Department of Defense, and were inducted into the Western States & World Police Games Hall of Fame; and the California Powerlifting Hall of Fame (2004).

 

In recognition of their substantial commitment to the sport, two awards have been established: the AAU Powerlifting Don Haley Achievement Award and the AAU Fran Haley White Light Award given to  outstanding lifters annually beginning in 2012