Waco High School strength coach Albert Graser poses with newly crowned powerlifting state champion Gary House.

New State Champion in the House

by Dale Caffey A newly crowned champion is in the house at Waco High School, pun intended.  Senior Gary House recently returned from the Texas High School Power Lifting Association meet in Abilene where he won a state title after lifting a total of 1,645 pounds. Weighing in at just under 198 pounds, Gary amazed fellow competitors in all weight classes by lifting more than eight times his body weight in the three powerlifting events – squat, bench press, and dead lift.

Gary began his performance by squatting 685 pounds, a new state record.  He then recorded a bench press of 360 pounds and concluded the meet with a dead lift of 600 pounds.  The squat being his most prolific event, Gary feels confident that he could have lifted 700.  But his strength coach, Albert Graser, convinced him not to get overly greedy. “I didn’t want him to risk it,” said Graser.  “We knew he could squat the 685 to break the record and that’s a record that had stood since 1992.  So Gary was able to set a new record and win state in the process.  I think 685 will hold up for a long time.” Possessing the frame of a running back, Gary played defensive tackle on the Lions’ football team and was able to manhandle any offensive lineman that came his way.  Knowing he is not the prototypical big college lineman, Gary has chosen to attend a school in Louisiana where he will have the opportunity to continue playing football as well as his first love, powerlifting. “I started doing this in the seventh-grade and don’t plan to stop,” said Gary.  “I just love trying to get stronger and stronger.”   View Interview with Gary House