“Coach Bellish and Coach Givens always message me after competitions and congratulate me,” Wright said. “A lot of what got me to where I’m at is from them as well because they always preached having mental toughness and being able to overcome adversity.”
Those lessons have helped Wright reach remarkable heights in powerlifting. Among his accomplishments is an unofficial world-record squat of 795 pounds at the USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals, a feat that cemented his status among the sport’s elite competitors.
Despite the accolades, Wright remains quick to credit the people around him for his success.
He points to his current coach, Heather Foss, owner of Titus Strength in Summerville, as a major reason for his continued growth.
“She does all my programming, and pretty much I just trust in the work that she has,” Wright said. “She leads me on the right path, and staying consistent with getting that work done has kind of gotten me to where I am now.”
While some former teammates and fans still remember Wright’s role on Ashley Ridge’s championship baseball team, he remains humble about those accomplishments as well. Though local stories about the title run continue to circulate, Wright prefers to focus on the collective effort rather than individual moments.
That team-first mentality has followed him into powerlifting, where success often depends on trust between athlete, coach and support staff.
Recently, Wright faced significant physical challenges leading up to competition. During preparation, he suffered both a strained adductor and a strained pectoral muscle. Rather than panic, he relied on rehabilitation, patience and confidence in the work he had already completed.
“Just being able to trust in the rehab and being patient was important,” Wright said. “Whatever is going to be there is going to be there. I put in so much effort beforehand.”
Outside of competition, Wright balances his training with a career in home health physical therapy. He says the strength he has developed through years of lifting allows him to better assist patients during their recovery journeys.
