Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg participating in the Ohio Police and Fire Games June 14. He earned three gold medals at the event.

Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg participating in the Ohio Police and Fire Games June 14. He earned three gold medals at the event.
By Kristin Rover
Sun staff

Clermont County Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg excels at more than law enforcement in the state of Ohio.

Rodenberg earned three gold medals at the Ohio Police and Fire Games in Oberlin June 14.

“It started about a year ago,” Sheriff Rodenberg said about deciding to participate in the games. “It started out with getting back in shape.”

Sheriff Rodenberg said he and his wife, Kathy, a judge at Clermont County Domestic Relations Court, began a personal training program with Tony Dufrense, a deputy who works at the court.

“About this time last year, he said they had a police and fire games,” Sheriff Rodenberg said. “Early fall I started training pretty rigorously, bench pressing and dead lifting.”

Sheriff Rodenberg said the Ohio Police and Fire Games includes variety of competitions, from basketball to track and field events. He said he participated in the weight lifting competition including bench press and dead lift categories.

“I exceeded mine and my trainer, Tony Dufrense’s, expectations and lifted my heaviest weights ever and won three gold medals,” Sheriff Rodenberg said.

He said his gold medals were for bench pressing 160 pounds, dead lifting 310 pounds and the push pull, which combined the total of the two.

“I feel like a kid on Christmas morning,” Sheriff Rodenberg said about the accomplishment. “May sound corny, but I have the same sense of accomplishment I experienced in the Marines when I landed on an aircraft carrier for the first time.”

Sheriff Rodenberg said earning the gold medals took a lot of physical and mental preparation.

“I don’t really think on my own I would have done as much,” Sheriff Rodenberg said.

Sheriff Rodenberg said there were days when he was sore after training, but he said Dufrense was careful about preventing injury and guided him with a nutrition plan that would help him be successful.

He said when it was time for the competition everything came together at the right time.

“There were probably a total of about 50 weightlifters, various sizes, shapes, ages and only four of us over the age of 60,” Sheriff Rodenberg said about the competition.

Sheriff Rodenberg said the oldest competitor was 74 years old, and he was the second oldest competitor at 64 years old.

“My results were not exceptional when compared to the younger bucks, but not bad for an oldie but goody,” Sheriff Rodenberg said.

Sheriff Rodenberg said he kept one of the medals that he earned at the competition and gave one to trainer Dufrense and one to Deputy Chris Stratton, who also helped Rodenberg and accompanied him to games.

Sheriff Rodenberg said the 2014 Ohio Police and Fire Games will be held in Clermont County next June.

He said he volunteered the county to host the games after learning that they were looking for a location next year.

“It’s a way to showcase our county in a way that’s never been done,” Sheriff Rodenberg said.

Sheriff Rodenberg said they will begin working to find a location in the county for each of the events, and he said they will also begin getting teams together to participate in the events.

“We’re really going to try to ramp it up since it has never been down in this area,” Sheriff Rodenberg said. “I would expect we could have a record setting year.”

Sheriff Rodenberg said he will be back to defend his gold medals.

“I am geared up to do it next year,” Sheriff Rodenberg said.

He said the event will be held June 8-13 in 2014.

For more information about the Ohio Police and Fire Games, visit www.theohiopoliceandfiregames.org.