Lyssanoel Frater Contributor
United States Strongman (USS) began in 2014 with a simple but powerful vision: create opportunities for athletes to test their strength in an environment that feels fair, safe, and genuinely supportive. President and Owner Willie Wessels has shaped the organization around a philosophy he repeats often: “for athletes, by athletes.” It is the principle that guides every decision, from event approvals to gym affiliations to the culture athletes encounter when they show up on competition day.
With various events held annually across the country, USS has grown into a national platform for competitors of all levels. “The mission has remained the same from day one,” Wessels says. “We want people to have a place where they can work toward their goals and know the event has been organized with their best interests in mind.” Each competition is required to meet safety and quality standards that Wessels personally reviews, giving athletes confidence that every show has been thoughtfully planned.
According to Wessels, Strongman itself is a diverse sport, blending both functional and traditional strength movements. USS events showcase everything from tire flips and stone lifts to sandbag carries and log presses. Each venue brings its own personality; some competitions take place at independent gyms, some at community centers, and others at local businesses that open their doors for a day of strength, cheering crowds, and grassroots community spirit. “You might see an event in a gym parking lot one week and then a full setup inside a large venue the next,” Wessels says. “What matters is that athletes walk in and feel excited and safe.”
USS also supports athletes through its membership structure, which provides access to certified events and ensures the competitions they enter meet established standards. The membership system also connects competitors to pathways leading toward national and international opportunities.
Under his leadership, the organization has become known for celebrating participation as much as podium finishes. Athletes within USS come from every background imaginable: teachers, healthcare workers, factory workers, engineers, and even complete beginners who discovered the sport by chance. “Strongman is not just for a certain type of person,” Wessels says. “It’s for anyone who wants to challenge themselves.” For many, it can become a place where physical strength intersects with self-confidence, camaraderie, and discipline.
This community-first mindset reflects Wessels’ personal history. At 62, he has spent more than three decades coaching, teaching, and supporting athletes. Before launching USS, he was a longtime health and physical education teacher, a career he describes with warmth. “Working with students taught me patience, humility, and how to meet people where they are,” he says. His passion for building strength, physical and personal, was shaped early on by his mother, whose commitment to education left a lasting mark. “She went back to school at 39 and earned her bachelor’s, two master’s degrees, and her PhD,” he says. “She showed me what persistence looks like.”
Wessels earned the title of North American Strongman in 2002, a moment that inspired many and deepened his belief in giving athletes a place to pursue their potential. Wessels’ own perseverance was profoundly tested when he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2003. Despite a prognosis that offered only a brief window of survival, he continued coaching and competing while undergoing years of treatment. “I just kept showing up,” he says. “Coaching kept me grounded.”
His personal journey is woven into the foundation of USS. What began as a vision to make the sport more accessible has grown into a movement supported by hundreds of competitions and a network of affiliated gyms across the U.S. Looking ahead, Wessels sees continuous expansion as a natural progression of the sport’s momentum. He noted that participation is rising among both men and women, and the spectrum of athletes continues to widen.
Wessels says the future of USS will always be guided by the same principles that shaped it from the beginning: fairness, safety, and genuine support. What drives him now is the same thing that drove him as a teacher, a coach, and an athlete: watching people discover what they are capable of.
“At the end of the day, this is not just about lifting weights,” Wessels says. “It’s about showing people they are stronger than they think, on the field and in life.” It’s a belief that has helped build United States Strongman into a national community grounded in resilience, respect, and purpose, and one that continues to grow with every athlete who steps onto the competition floor.
Peace LiLy 