The world of sports extends further than most know, as simple games can create massive sports leagues. One’s interest in activities that seem niche on the surface can blossom into events like Esport leagues and reach many lives of those who share similar passions. This phenomenon even occurs on Elizabethtown College’s campus grounds, as seen in senior student Victor Witkofsky, who partakes in competitive arm wrestling and even enters the occasional tournaments with a dedicated team.
Witkofsky’s interest in the sport of arm wrestling developed due to his competitive spirit. He and his dad would arm wrestle with each other during his childhood, and the frequency with which his dad won these bouts inspired him to study arm wrestling techniques. Witkofsky recalls looking up professional arm wrestling videos on YouTube to learn more about these intricate techniques, and these aspects of his childhood developed into a passion for the sport he still holds onto to this day.
The sport itself focuses on a high amount of technique. Every part of the arm from the hand to the elbow can play a massive role in who wins any given match, and inexperience could result in severe injuries. Thankfully, Witkofsky does not need to worry about these hazards as he can rely on the Lethal Arms, an arm wrestling team local to Harrisburg, Pa. The team values brotherhood and encouragement, as every member inspires the group and keeps an eye out for each other.
The Lethal Arms travel across the country to participate in various arm wrestling leagues, which either involve teams competing as a whole group or as separate entrants–some events even involve members of the Lethal Arms getting matched up against each other! While the Lethal Arms have not won any team leagues as of writing this article, they not only feature several members with individual wins but also usually rank 3rd or 4th overall in team tournaments: a respectable achievement.
Witkofsky has a few impressive accomplishments as well, a feat that only becomes more astounding when one considers the odds against his victories. Witkofsky describes arm wrestling as “more of an adult…sport”, since most people participating in the sport–even members of the Lethal Arms—range from “30 to 60 years old”. Despite the odds stacked against him due to his youth and his self-described status as a “smaller and skinnier” arm-wrestler, Witkofsky utilizes his skill and strength to come out on top, even managing to win a tournament division over the summer!
Witkofsky fully intends to continue partaking in arm wrestling as a member of the Lethal Arms after he graduates from Etown with a degree in biology!
