Another in a continuing series of Q & A interviews with Trinity spring sports student-athletes.

Trinity senior Patrick Owens was a leader of the 15-member barbell team, led by second-year coach Laura Barito. Owens answered some questions about his years with the team.

Q: What led you to join the barbell team?

A: I originally joined once freshman football was over to stay in shape, and I ended up falling in love with the sport.

Q: What is it about lifting that you enjoy?

A: My teammates are great, and they make practice more enjoyable. We have a great coach who knows what she is doing, and I love lifting weights and I love having an excuse to do it competitively.

Q: What is the best part about competing?

A: The satisfaction you get when you throw those heavy weights over your head is unlike anything else. Everyone is super supportive of one another, and they cheer each other on. 

Q: Who do you usually compete against?

A: You have two lifts in a competition: the snatch and the clean and jerk. You have three attempts for each lift, and the goal is to go as heavy as you can. You have judges that will look at your form and determine whether it is a good lift or not. We’ll compete against other schools or individual people. If it is a regional or national competition, it is usually other individuals who qualified.

Q: What did you miss due to the pandemic?

A: I missed my coach and my teammates. Our coach rented out equipment for us to practice at home, but it’s just not the same as being in the weight room with everyone.

Q: What were the goals you had for the upcoming season?

A: We all had huge expectations for the state championship. A lot of us were poised to win gold in our weight classes. Personally, I was trying to repeat my championship from last year, and I was also working to qualify for the American Open Series, a national meet which would’ve been in June.

Q: As you look back on your barbell career at Trinity, what are some of the positives that came out of it?

A: It definitely gave me a ton of confidence as I got stronger. That confidence carried over to a lot of things in my life. Doing so much lifting in the offseason also helped me become better in football.

Q: What is the greatest lesson you have learned from being a student-athlete at Trinity High School?

A: The main thing I learned is that anything is possible through hard work. You have to be willing to push yourself and step outside your comfort zone if you want to achieve your goals. Valuing that work and trusting the process have always resonated with me.

Q: What advice would you give to your teammates for their future seasons with Trinity?

A: I’d say to keep doing what you’ve been doing. Trust what has already gotten you to this point, and use it as leverage to get you where you want to be. You have to be willing to do the work that no one else wants to do to truly be successful.