Somerset's Troll takes second at state competition

Chris Troll may be small in stature, but he is big in heart and intensity.

At 5-foot-5 and 165 pounds, Troll deadlifted 500 pounds raw, or without any supportive equipment, at the Pennsylvania State High School Powerlifting Championship at Glen Mills Schools in Concordsville on April 22. He participated in the squat, bench press and deadlift competitions, doing three reps in each, and finished second overall in the 165-pound weight class.

He did it all with very little training because he was also on the track with the Somerset boys track and field team.

"It was my first powerlifting meet, and I barely did anything to prepare, so I was pretty happy with my finish," Troll said. "I think most of the guys in the competition were in my weight class. Overall, it was a great experience. I really liked the energy of it.

"I just approached it like any other meet I have been in. I tried to get myself really hyped up. All of the people there were really jacked and they all were hyping themselves up, so it was easy to get myself pumped. I was in either fourth or fifth place before my deadlift. That moved me into second place."

Troll, a junior, is a multi-sport athlete for the Golden Eagles. He is a member of the football, swimming and track teams. He took up powerlifting in ninth grade and coaches quickly noticed how natural he was with the weights.

Somerset assistant football coach Dave Schleich also coaches Troll in powerlifting. He said Troll has the work ethic of a wolverine.

"He literally is the hardest working kid I have ever seen in my 20-plus years of coaching," Schleich said. "No one even comes close. He is not the most gifted kid, but his intensity and determination to not be outworked makes him standout. He is a humble kid and a coach's dream.

"When he started training for varsity sports with Dave Polcha and Justin Delani, we saw he had a lot of potential. He started out in the 300s and is really putting things together. Chris did a 395-pound squat but he was too inexperienced to know the rules and missed the lift. Two days later, he did a 415. Two days after that, he had a track meet where he competed in the high hurdles."

Justin Capouellez, a former two-time state powerlifting champion (2010, 2011) and former state record holder from Greater Johnstown High School, made the trek to the state competition and had dinner with Schleich and Troll afterwards. He said he enjoys the yearly pilgrimage and enjoyed giving back to someone that competitive spirit he had.

"I had a positive experience there and I know Chris did too," Capouellez said. "You learn what it takes to become a winner. His 500 pound deadlift was impressive with the minimal training he had going into the event. I thought he did very well."

Troll said he definitely wants to return to the state championship next year as a senior.

"Dave and Justin showed me how to do a sumo deadlift which works better for me than the traditional way because I am short," the 17-year-old said. "I plan on working hard in the weight room this summer and hopefully I can go back there and try to set some records. I wouldn't have been able to do this without coach Schleich. I don't think I would have even gone if he hadn't asked my parents if he could take me. He paid for everything out of his own pocket. He has been such a great influence on my life and with my faith.

"I wouldn't be as strong as I am today without Dave Polcha and Justin Delani. And, I wouldn't be the athlete I am today if it wasn't for coach Schleich. I have so much to be thankful for because of them."