Senior Ozan Kleiman had already enjoyed a historic season for a McCallum athlete. He had formed the school’s first powerlifting team in two decades, he placed first in his weight class at a powerlifting competition and he had qualified for the state powerlifting championships in the 220-pound weight class on March 22 in Abilene. 

“This will be the biggest competition I’ve ever done,” Kleiman said as he looked ahead to the meet. “I have a real chance at placing in the top three, which would be pretty sweet. I’m pushing myself harder than ever in these final weeks leading up to state.”

His intense preparation led to a bittersweet moment.   

During his preparation between region and state, Kleiman had already benched 460 pounds and deadlifted 585, both personal bests, and then he tried to achieve the heaviest lift he had ever accomplished: squatting 660 pounds.

He executed the lift, but the success came at a cost.

“Squatting 660 pounds was … a special moment because it was the biggest lift I’ve ever hit, but it was also the lift I got injured on, which led me to dropping out of state. … I had to drop out of it because I injured my lower back. Nothing I could have done to prevent it from happening, just one of those injuries that are completely random and inevitable. Unfortunate luck and bad timing. [It is] very disappointing it ended like that, and I couldn’t compete, but it is what it is.”

While Kleiman’s season did not end the way he hoped it would, that doesn’t diminish his successes throughout the semester.

The first victory for Kleiman was forming a McCallum powerlifting team in the first place.

“We haven’t had a powerlifting team in 20 years,” Kleiman said, but he brought the team back after recruiting two of his friends Jack Johnson and Henry Hood to join him on the team. 

To form the team, Kleiman also had to find a faculty sponsor, a role that Coach Tony Osorio took on.

“I have to thank [Coach Osorio] for his support and making it possible for there to even be a team at McCallum,” Kleiman said. “He came with me to both of the meets to help out.”

Osorio said that all the credit of the team and its success this season belongs to Kleiman.

“I think he did amazing, all on his own,” Osorio said. “I was just a sponsor but was very impressed with his work ethic and just ‘want to.’ No one was pushing him to do this, he just wanted to prove himself.”

And he did prove himself right out of the gate at the team’s first Texas High School Powerlifting Association competition, the Johnson Jaguar Invitational in Buda on Jan. 18.

Competing in the 220-pound weight class, Kleiman not only placed first in his school class, but he posted the top score in the weight class overall, totalling 1555 pounds after squatting 585 pounds, bench pressing 415 pounds and deadlifting 555 pounds.  

Hood and Johnson also competed at the meet, with Johnson placing fourth in 165-pound weight class, helping McCallum to a seventh-place team finish in the meet. 

For Kleiman, placing first in Buda was significant for another reason: the result qualified him for the regional meet in Joshua, Texas, on March 8. Accompanying Kleiman on the trip were Osorio and Kleiman’s personal lifting coach, Joshua Trammell, and one of Trammell’s friends from Louisiana.

“Traveling all the way out to regionals and qualifying for state was pretty cool: to have the opportunity to represent our school at a massive competition and have a really good chance at doing well,” Kleiman said.

Kleiman placed fourth in Joshua. He achieved a total weight of 1530 pounds after squatting 605, bench-pressing 405 and deadlifting 520. He said he could have placed higher than fourth, but he opted to bank his first squat and deadlift result and not attempt a second or third lift. 

Osorio, who witnessed Kleiman’s state-qualifying effort firsthand, said he was impressed.

“He overcame some injuries to make it, so I’m very proud,” Osorio said.

Kleiman’s subsequent training injury may have derailed his state appearance, but he puts his faith in his teammates to lead the program next season.

“Hopefully next year, they can take over the team and [qualify for regionals and state],” Kleiman said.

Johnson credits Kleiman for being a leader and a mentor, not just the founder of the team.

“Ozan has been a huge help to everyone in the weightlifting club,” Johnson said. “He doesn’t just tell people what to do—he actually pushes them to be better. He really pushes me in training, making sure I get all my lifts done, tracking my food and sticking to my workout plan. He really cares about helping people get stronger.”

Hood agrees. He thanked Kleiman for pushing him to be the best version of himself.

“He made me a workout plan, he made me a diet, and he made sure I was on the right track the whole time,” Hood said.

Hood said he accepts the mantle that Kleiman will leave behind when he graduates.

“We’re passing that torch down,” Hood said.

Kleiman remains hopeful that Osorio, Johnson and Hood can continue to grow the team and build on the accomplishments of this year’s team.

“Powerlifting is a small sport, but I’d love to see more people get involved,” he said. “Maybe I can come back and support the next generation of lifter.”