One Calgary teen hopes to inspire others by pushing himself athletically and personally while balancing school and training.

Nick Starr, 16, placed in his first international competition earlier this month, leaving Las Vegas with silver and bronze medals after climbing the leaderboard with seconds to spare at the 2026 Jiu-Jitsu Con. 

The annual convention is the largest of its kind, with about 60,000 attendees and more than 12,000 competitors. Starr, a blue belt representing his home facility, Alliance BJJ Calgary, advanced to the championship match after securing a 3-2 victory. 

“Those last few seconds are something I’ll remember for a long time,” he said. 

“I came out of the match with a black eye, but that is part of competing — you stay composed and keep solving the problem in front of you.”

As a multisport athlete, entrepreneur, and senior at Bishop Carroll High School, Starr has become accustomed to staying unflappable. So much so that his wide range of involvements put him ahead of his peers in Grade 11, when he was named athlete of the year.

His most recent win is just one line in a long resume that he has built. Starr has dabbled in school sports like badminton, wrestling, and track and field, and plays competitive club rugby for the Calgary Mavericks. 

He is further decorated in powerlifting, having set the Alberta provincial bench press record in the men’s 53-kilogram sub-junior division two years ago at 14 — beating the previous score that had stood for more than a decade.

Stacking his schedule is part of the appeal, Starr said, as he is committed to being the best version of himself. Although it’s not always easy, he has still managed to carve out the time to motivate others to do the same. 

Building community to motivate the masses

While some stick with one sport, Starr has pursued many. He said that aside from being competitive, his main reason for trying so many different games is the camaraderie that comes with it. 

“I just really like connecting with other people, meeting other people,” said Starr. 

“One easy way to do that, and really great way to do that, is through sport.”

Jiu-jitsu remains his primary sport, and Starr has given back to the same centre where he has trained since he was 12. In addition to helping teach kids’ classes when needed, he and a partner built the summer camp program from scratch.

“When I was younger, I had a lot of good help, good coaches,” said Starr. 

“So just trying to bring that back and help people younger than me.”

Head coach and owner of Alliance BJJ Calgary, Kennet Moore, described Starr as being a vital part of their team, not only for his individual skills and work ethic, but also for how he inspires others to be better. 

“Nick’s been a huge asset, not just with how hard he works, not just the quality of human that him and his family are,” said Moore. 

“We lean on him lots for helping coach camps.”

He explained that Starr usually helps with the younger classes and that what stands out most is his ability to balance amusement and discipline.

“He’s got a really good feel for the room,” said Moore. 

“He knows when they need fun, he knows when they need encouragement, he knows when they need a stern reminder of what they’re supposed to be doing — he walks that line great.”

Balancing school, sport, and new ventures

Starr said he had to learn this harmony in his personal life while managing the demands of training and school. Throughout it all, he said that he has always made keeping up with his education a top priority.

“I always strive to try and get the best grades I can get, like be the best person that I can be,” said Starr. 

“Even though I’m doing all the sports, you still have to stay focused in school.”

He said this desire to see how far he could push himself drove him to chase another feat outside competing. Starr launched his rugby streetwear brand, OVAL, a couple of months ago with the same attitude.

“I just sort of came to me as something that would be fun and also a little bit difficult, challenging to build,” he said, describing the brand as representative of the sports central motto. 

“Just connecting with your teammates. I think rugby is very much like everyone’s close with their teammates.”

Starr named his equally athletic family, including his sister, a four-time national skip rope champion, as well as his mentors, friends, and teammates, as his support system. Starr said that they play a crucial role in his success and offered advice to other adolescents.

“Just try new things,” he said. 

“Just be open to things, trying the new things, just committing to them if you really like it.”

Starr’s resume is far from finished, and his next adventure is to set another powerlifting record in the under-18 category at a competition happening in October.