Gayle Hatch may have been raised in Baton Rouge, but he is known the world over as one of the most decorated contributors to the sport of weightlifting.

"I wear two hats really,” Hatch said. “I’m an Olympic weightlifting coach and a strength and conditioning coach."

But lifting weights wasn’t his first love. A multi-sport athlete at Catholic High, he went on to play basketball at the next level at Northwestern State, then professionally with the Chicago Majors. At the completion of his basketball career, he returned to the Red Stick to begin his weightlifting and strength training program.

"Our teams have won 47 national championships, team championships,” Hatch said. “We’ve had members of four Olympic teams.”

In 2007, Hatch returned to the hardwood by officially joining the LSU men's basketball staff, overseeing the training program with the primary focus of making forwards Chris Johnson and Anthony Randolph bigger and stronger. Both players are almost seven feet tall, but weighed less than 200 pounds.

Hatch accomplished the mission -- and the payoff was big. Johnson had his best year as a Tiger, and Randolph was the 14th overall pick in the NBA draft. It was a remarkable achievement, but not enough to make Hatch stay. He wanted to focus complete attention on long-time protégé Matt Bruce's dreams of capturing Olympic gold.

"I was in eighth grade at Catholic High and they started training me for football and trying to get me bigger and faster for football,” Bruce said. “Coach Hatch pulled me to the side and said ‘son, you have a real gift. I want to start training you for the Olympics.’”

"He has dedicated himself since he was 13 years of age,” Hatch said. “So when it got down to the last few months, I had to devote complete attention to the 2008 Olympic trials.”

Bruce among the world’s best at the start of 2008, making a strong showing in the Pan-American championships in March.

"I was number two in the nation, which means I was on the Olympic team,” Bruce said. “Going into the trials, I didn’t have a back seat. I knew it was going to be tough to keep my position and they were gunning for me"

In the end, Bruce fell short of securing a spot on Team USA. Sure it was disappointing for both Bruce and his mentor, but there is always 2012.

"We’re already back in training and the Olympics hasn’t even ended yet,” Bruce said. “I’m actually moving up in weight class, so I’m looking for bigger and better totals."


"He has a great heart,” Hatch said. “And he will be there in 2012, I can promise you."