Team Juanatas-Bowens: Empowering Communities

Team Juanatas-Bowens - Empowering Communities

Our organization is dedicated to empowering communities by providing resources, education, and support to those in need. We believe that everyone deserves access to a better life, and we work tirelessly to make that a reality. Through our programs and partnerships, we strive to create a more equitable and just society for all. Join us in our mission to make a difference!

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For the third straight year, Team Juanatas-Bowens (TJB) hosted its annual Awards Celebration near Christmas—continuing a tradition of recognizing athletes in a way that is meaningful, memorable, and dignified. On Tuesday, December 29, 2026, TJB brought athletes and families together at the prestigious Seven Oaks Country Club in Bakersfield to celebrate exceptional accomplishments and remarkable improvement. For many guests, this is not a venue they would typically have a reason to enter; TJB is proud to create that opportunity by honoring hard work, growth, and character in an environment that communicates genuine respect.

TJB’s impact continues to accelerate—growing from sending 1 athlete to USA Weightlifting Nationals Week in 2023, to 4 in 2024, 7 in 2025, and an expected 13 in 2026—while also earning multiple AAU National titles and breaking numerous AAU American and World Records. This growth required strategic operational changes. TJB transitioned training operations from Thompson Jr. High to Awesome Fitness to expand access and training time for athletes across Kern County, including youth and adults who do not attend Thompson Jr. High or South High School. While the move introduced additional expenses and created challenges for some families—especially around transportation and gym access—it also allowed TJB to serve a broader community and develop athletes we could not have reached under a single-school model.

The 2026 celebration highlighted standout performances across multiple platforms and age groups. Eight-year-old Liliana Layman earned: 2025 AAU Overall Female Athlete of the Year, 2025 AAU Female Junior Weightlifter of the Year, placed 4th at USA Weightlifting Youth Nationals in Colorado Springs, won the 29th Annual Bull Stewart AAU Alki Beach Classic in Seattle, and took 2nd at USA Weightlifting Virus Series 2 in Fort Worth. Mikaella Bowens placed 4th at Youth Nationals, took 2nd at Virus Series 2 (Fort Worth), won the Bull Stewart AAU Alki Beach Classic (Seattle), placed 3rd at the USA Weightlifting Virus Finals (Daytona Beach), and was named 2025 AAU Female Junior Feats of Strength Athlete of the Year. Brianna Bowens earned 2nd at Youth Nationals, won the Bull Stewart AAU Alki Beach Classic (Seattle), won Virus Series 2 (Fort Worth), and was named 2025 AAU Female Junior Powerlifter of the Year. Dan Wells captured the USA Weightlifting Triple Crown by winning Masters Nationals (Atlanta), Virus Series 2 (Fort Worth), and the Virus Finals (Daytona Beach), while also setting UMWF Snatch and Total World Records!

In December 2024—just over a year after Team Juanatas-Bowens (TJB) launched in 2023—TJB hosted its 2nd Annual Awards Dinner at Seven Oaks Country Club under the theme, “Stronger Minds, Healthier Bodies: Celebrating Mental Health and Wellbeing Across All Ages.” This celebration honored youth athletes who demonstrated discipline, resilience, dedication, and sportsmanship, while also showcasing the personal growth stories behind their competitive success. Families and supporters heard directly from athletes preparing for and competing at national-level events in Pittsburgh, Fort Worth, and Tucson—reinforcing that TJB is not only building stronger athletes, but stronger young leaders who thrive under pressure and represent Kern County with pride.

The 2024 season reflected significant growth and demand: TJB served 134 youth and 21 adults, yet still had to turn away students due to limited funding, space, and equipment. Sponsorship support helps remove barriers by expanding capacity, improving equipment access, and ensuring youth can participate in milestone moments—such as attending the Awards Dinner—at no cost to their families. TJB’s mission remains centered on social-emotional learning, health and wellness, sportsmanship, and citizenship through high-quality Weightlifting, Powerlifting, and Pickleball programming that many families cannot otherwise access. Donors and sponsors make it possible for TJB to continue serving youth, adults, and seniors across Kern County while scaling a proven model that is already producing measurable impact and national opportunities.

In December 2023—just months after Team Juanatas-Bowens (TJB) was founded—TJB hosted its first annual Awards Dinner at Seven Oaks Country Club to celebrate the discipline, resilience, and sportsmanship of our youth and adult athletes. Launched in 2023, TJB immediately “hit the ground running,” serving 89 students and 21 adults across Weightlifting, Powerlifting, and Pickleball. Demand quickly exceeded our capacity; we were forced to turn away students due to limited funding, space, and equipment. With training and competition sites supported through partnerships with the Panama Buena Vista School District and Kern High School District, this event marked an early milestone in building a sustainable pipeline of strength-sport and wellness opportunities for local families.

TJB exists to develop amateur athletes physically, mentally, and morally while promoting social-emotional learning, health and wellness, teamwork, and good citizenship. We work alongside local school districts to help create and maintain school-based Weightlifting, Powerlifting, and Pickleball programs—providing equipment support, coaching, mentorship, and administrative guidance to help each club become self-sustaining. The Awards Dinner honored athletes across multiple categories—from top youth and adult performers to overall sportsmanship—while also serving as a rally point for donors and sponsors who believe every student deserves access to high-quality sport programs without financial barriers. TJB keeps participation accessible by minimizing or eliminating monthly dues, and we rely on community investment to expand equipment, coaching capacity, and safe training spaces so more young people can be served. Strong Youth, Strong Future: Raising Bars, Shattering Limits.