Submitted Photo A little over a month ago, Warren Area High School’s Sam Harvey competed at the USAA Powerlifting Teen and High School Nationals in Aurora, Colorado. He placed fifth in the nation for his weight class and age group.

When it comes to setting goals, Sam Harvey thinks big.

Both literally and figuratively.

The Warren Area High School 15-year-old is a weightlifter; however, not like your typical teenage boy.

A little over a month ago, Harvey competed at the USAA Powerlifting Teen and High School Nationals in Aurora, Colorado. He placed fifth in the nation for his weight class and age group — 183 pounds and 14-15 year olds respectively. He set new Pennsylvania state records in every category with a 254-pound bench press, 430-pound deadlift, and 375-pound squat. Oh, and a new total record (combination of the three lifts) of 1,058 pounds.

Some of it is genetics; most of it isn’t.

“Good results will always depend on your goals,” said Harvey, a soon-to-be WAHS sophomore. “If your goal is to get big, then getting bigger is good results. If it’s to be strong, getting stronger is good results. It’s a case-by-case thing.”

Similar to his gains in the gym, Harvey’s love of the sport has been gradually growing; so much so that it snuck up on his parents.

“During the COVID shutdown of spring 2020, Sam couldn’t work out with his football teammates,” said his mother, Rachel. “He and his dad (Samuel) built a gym in our garage and purchased a basic set of weights. He would lift every day, and soon enough, we had to keep purchasing bigger weights. He built on to his home gym, adding a deadlift mat and some other things. He then had a really successful season of football at WAHS this past fall, playing on both JV and varsity as a freshman. In the off-season, he came to us saying he wanted to try a competition. It was a surprise to us, and something we knew nothing about, but it seemed really important to him. On his own, he researched all of the rules and techniques, and which organization to become a member of. He chose USA Powerlifting, which does random drug testing, ensuring a fair and healthy competition. He met once with Carl Seeker at Power Plant Gym (in Warren) who gave him some tips. Other than that one meeting, he has done everything on his own.”

That seems to suit Harvey just fine.

“I chose powerlifting because it’s a sport I get to do all on my own,” he said. “I don’t have to rely on anyone but myself. I got involved through my football coach in middle school. The best part about it is being able to see progress through numbers and knowing that something you’re doing is working. I’ve been serious about it for about two years. The difference between being serious about lifting and just lifting is taking the time to put other things aside to achieve set goals and continuing to advance and not just doing it to do it.”

He added: “My goals in lifting are to make a name for myself in the community and try to bring enough attention to it where I can profit off of it. My other sport as of now is football and that went well last year, but I think lifting is more of my thing.

“I’m mostly on my own, but occasionally I’ll work out with a friend,” said Harvey. “I’m inspired by people who have made it to the top of the sport that haven’t given up even through hiccups and injuries.”

Sam’s mom is warming up to the sport.

“As far as questions and concerns, I worry about injuries. He is very conservative, though, and lifts what he knows he can do successfully,” she said. “He could probably have lifted even more at his competitions, but he wanted to be sure each lift counted. The guidelines are so strict. Even the slightest wrong movement can disqualify a lift.”

Sam’s father is also looking out for him.

“Sam has been lifting with the football team since seventh grade,” said his father. “When COVID hit, he and I built a squat rack/bench rack and deadlift mat out of wood and got one of the last 300-pound weight sets at Dunham’s. He lifted all through spring and summer of 2020 in our garage… We had to hunt around to find an extra 180 pounds to his set by Christmas because 300 pounds wasn’t enough anymore.”

Graduating from your garage to a national competition is quite a jump, however.

Harvey received a, sort of, clinic on power lifting competitions from Carl Seeker, a power lifter inducted into the Warren County Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.

“Competitions are, surprisingly, extremely welcoming and friendly despite the intensity and amount of intimidating people there,” said Harvey. “Even your direct opponents give you a fist bump after a good lift.”

Most power lifters at competitions have coaches, “but he has done this all on his own,” said Rachel of her son. “To say we are proud is an understatement. We see it as a really positive thing that came out of the COVID shutdown.”

Harvey is the right combination of rational and passionate, and is ready for the work cut out for him.

“There are 15-year-old kids benching my deadlift, and in those cases you are kind of out of luck,” he said. “A lot of it is genetics and, for young guys like me, it might come down to the timing of puberty.

“Yes, I’m 15 and football is still in my plans,” said Harvey, “but lifting will still be the main priority most of the time.”