Cooper High School

Kayden Bryan made a statement at the Division I State Powerlifting Championship two weeks ago in Abilene, finishing third in the Super Heavyweight Division with a career-best total lift of 1,850 pounds. The Cooper junior posted a personal record in the squat (720 pounds), a 480-pound bench press, and a 650-pound deadlift.

His competitive fire isn’t limited to the weight room. Bryan, a standout offensive lineman, brings the same intensity to the football field. Cooper head coach Aaron Roan sees it firsthand every season.

“Kayden is soft-spoken, extremely intelligent, and he works his tail off,” Roan said. “But when somebody lines up across from him or he’s got a bar in his hands, he turns into a different person.

Bryan’s love for lifting started at Clack Middle School, where summer and offseason workouts with his football teammates introduced him to the sport. He quickly excelled, bench-pressing 190 pounds in the sixth grade and winning nearly every meet he entered in middle school. 

“I’ve loved lifting weights since I was little,” Bryan said. “When I got into competitions and started winning, it made it even more fun.”

But the wins haven’t supplanted his love of football, which is what he hopes to play in college. He has been a key player on his high school football team, moving up to the Cooper varsity as a freshman in 2022 and earning second team All-district 2-5A Division II honors last fall.

“I enjoy powerlifting; it’s something I do in the offseason to prepare for football,” Bryan said. “But I love football. The feeling and adrenaline rush for powerlifting is similar to football because it’s about being dominant as much as anything. I’m a nice guy but also very competitive, and I have a drive and a need to win. That shows itself when I’m on the field or in a meet.”

After placing fifth at state as a sophomore and third as a junior, Bryan has his sights set on a state championship in 2026. He’s also eyeing the state combined weight record of 2,145 pounds, set this year by Argyle’s Aaron Gomez. To break it, Bryan knows he’ll have to make major strides.

For reference on Gomez’s incredible performance, former Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame offensive lineman Larry Allen – considered the strongest lineman in NFL history – bench-pressed a personal-best 700 pounds. To top Gomez’s record, Bryan knows he’ll have to make some dramatic jumps in his marks before next March.

“My goal is 2,200 total pounds,” he said. “I need about 100 more on the bench, an 850-pound squat (130 pounds more than this year), and a 750-pound deadlift (100 pounds more). That’s a big goal, but I’ll work hard to reach it.” 

Of that, Roan has no doubt.

“The thing I love the most about Kayden is how hard he works,” Roan said. “He’s worked hard since the moment he walked onto this campus as a freshman. We know we’re going to get his best every day. He’s extremely competitive, so I know he’ll work hard to reach that goal.”