Wake County senior quickly ascending through powerlifting world

William Ball IV doesn't look like your typical teenager. If you spend some time talking to him, he might not sound like one either. The Holly Springs High School senior oozes the maturity and focus of someone twice his age. That mentality is what's propelled him to become one of the top up-and-coming powerlifters in the world.

"It's like a lifestyle. It felt like I found what I was born for," said Ball of his new sport. Judging by how quickly he's become a national star and how deeply he's immersed himself into the world of powerlifting, it's hard to argue he wasn't born for it. In less than two full years of competitive lifting, he's already broken several local and national records, including breaking through to first place in his first-ever meet.

We haven't been able to cook for him in over two years. He weighs his own food, down to the macros. But the way he's grasped the whole aspect of powerlifting is impressive.

Most recently Ball won the 2024 National Championship in the 93 kg weight class (204.6 lbs) in Austin, Texas, amassing astronomical numbers -- a 651-pound squat, a 414-pound bench press, and a 685-pound deadlift. The numbers are not far off from world records-- unheard of for a guy who's only been competing for 18 months. His family said the better he's gotten, the more invested he's grown.

"We haven't been able to cook for him in over two years," said his father, William Ball III. "He weighs his own food, down to the macros. But the way he's grasped the whole aspect of powerlifting is impressive."

The younger Ball credits Holly Springs High School as the first place he began to seriously invest in lifting weights. "I'm not going to forget my first time in the gym, in the weight room, and all my firsts (in that setting)."

His performance in Texas will land him in his first international competition this August, the World Classic & Equipped Sub-Junior & Junior Powerlifting Championships in Malta, a small island state off the south coast of Sicily.

"We're excited for worlds," said Ball's mom, Adrienne, "the way he's prepared mentally and physically, and with the coaching and staff of the team, I think he'll be fine."

Where many with years in the lifting field might feel pressure for the next competition, the soon-to-be high school graduate sees his summer getaway as a win-win.

"I'm just going to try to perform at my best, and hope that I come out on top," Ball said. "It's going to be a great experience after either way because I'm going to the beach after, so."