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Austin senior Sam Winkels has made about as dramatic a transformation as one can make as an athlete, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down.

A full commitment to strength training in the AHS weight room helped Winkels shoot up from 160-pounds as a freshman, to 260-pounds as a senior. Now he’s garnering some national recognition for his hard work.

Winkels recently earned All American status in strength and conditioning through the National High School Strength Coaches Association. He is the first AHS to earn this honor and he is one of 155 athletes nationwide to be recognized. 

“Samuel has put in the work and every year he’s one of the top performing athletes in the weight room,” AHS teacher and strength and conditioning coach Jacy Bodi said. “He works hard, he asks questions and he’s very coachable. He had a plan to get stronger, especially over the past couple of years, and that’s what he’s done.”

To receive the All-American honor, Winkels had to be proficient in two of four strength categories and two of three speed and agility categories. Winkels produced a dead lift of 555 pounds, a squat of 455 and a bench press of 330 to earn the recognition. He also ran the 40-yard dash in 5.2 seconds, had a 27-inch vertical jump and finished with a time of 4.46 seconds in a pro agility drill.

“I wasn’t aware of the All-American thing until coach Bodi told me about it. I was like ‘OK, let’s do this,’” Winkels said. “We have coaches here who know what they’re doing, and I think that’s something all of our athletes should consider. Bodi’s been one of my best mentors, along with my dad and coach (Nate) Wolters. He’s helped me how to put on weight the right way, and not just get fat. He’s helped me put on muscle. Anytime I come to him, he’s got answers and he’s been the best strength training coach I could ask for.”

Winkels’ work ethic goes well beyond sports and the weight room. His GPA and the fact that he helps out with the Unified Physical Education Class with special needs students were taken into consideration for the All-American recognition.

Winkels was drawn to the Unified PE class when he found himself having fun interactions with the students in the class.

“I would walk in and see those kids, and I’d say hi to them and give them high fives. To see the smile on their faces makes me happy. If I’m having a bad day, I can talk to them and they can make me laugh,” Winkels said. “They do more for me than I do for them, to be honest.”

Winkels’ time in the weight room has been vital to his success in athletics at Austin High School. The St. Cloud State University wrestling commit is a three-time state qualifier for the Class AAA state meet, including a second place finish at 285-pounds this year. He rarely left the field on the Packer football team, where he played linebacker, H-back, and offensive lineman in his time on the gridiron.

“I put goals in front of myself and being in the weight room and practice all of the time has helped me reach my goals,” Winkels said. “I always say to myself ‘beat the bar.” You’ve got to win the battle in your head.”

As Winkels prepares for graduation, he has parting words for any up and coming AHS athletes who’d like to train like he has.

“Lift heavy, eat a lot of food, and get stronger,” Winkels said. “If your goal is to be a better athlete, you have to listen to what the coaches tell you, instead of what you want to do. Learn from coach Bodi. He knows what he’s doing.”

Bodi said he will be following Winkels’ progress at St. Cloud State and he hopes Winkels can act as a motivator for upcoming Packer athletes.

“It is refreshing to see athletes like Samuel invest in themselves and prepare for the next level of being a student athlete. As a strength coach one of the greatest compliments I can receive is from a college coach saying that this athlete was well prepared for the rigors of a college level weight program,” Bodi said. “I am fully confident that Samuel is well prepared for the next level of his athletic career. Hopefully he is the spark that ignites a continued passion for strength and athletic development here at Austin High School.”