senior Calvin Trapp; holding seniors Dashiel Ellsworth and Leo Pizzo on his shoulders. Photo courtesy of junior Paloma Peffly

Here at San Luis Obispo High, one of our own is making great achievements in the world of powerlifting. Calvin Trapp a seventeen-year-old senior has gained our attention for; of course his strength, but most importantly his dedication to the sport. 

We sat down with Calvin in an exclusive interview to dive deeper into his passion for powerlifting  from all the way back to the day he started his journey at just thirteen years old. 

SLOHS Expressions: What or who motivates you the most?

SLOHS Senior Calvin Trapp: I gain my motivation from pushing myself and trying to beat PRs (personal records) as well as seeing progression in the gym, it’s a great feeling.

Expressions: How old were you when you started this journey, and how old were you when you realized you could take this sport professionally?

Trapp: I started going to the gym when I was just thirteen years old, and my passion for it honestly just took off from there. When I was fifteen that’s when I realized how strong my drive was and I decided to try and pursue it professionally.

Expressions: Despite your successes, what challenges do you face along the way in your journey?

Trapp: I would say mentally I struggle the most with comparing myself to other people, but mainly comparing myself to a time when I was in my prime (at his peak physique). Physically I would say even just little injuries like a pulled muscle can put you out of the gym for a couple days which pushes back progression in the gym, which is frustrating in itself.

Expressions: What’s your greatest accomplishment?

Trapp: Squatting 600 lbs was an amazing accomplishment for me in this sport.

We decided to take a dive into what Calvins future holds and we asked him what his goals are for after highschool. 

Trapp: Well, after high school my goals are to do Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly, While also growing in the powerlifting Junior division.

  His journey is far from over. It’s clear that the future of powerlifting holds great promise for him. 

We can’t wait to see Trapp’s next goals being crushed.