After turning heads, Kingsland running back picks Winona State
Sep. 27—SPRING VALLEY — Matt Kolling says he's never seen anyone like him.
The Kingsland football coach is referring to his star running back, Beau Wiersma. It's on and off the field that Wiersma leaves Kolling speechless.
What Wiersma does off it has led directly to what he's done on it. And all of it led to what happened Tuesday, with the 5-foot-9, 200-pound senior verbally committing to play football next year at Division II Winona State University.
In short, Wiersma is the hardest training football player that Kolling has ever witnessed.
"Beau is one of a kind," Kolling said. "His love for the game and his work ethic are what stand out. I feel like, as a team, we worked out (over the summer) as hard as any team in the area. But when it was done (most days), he'd go to ETS (training center in Rochester) to work out, and he'd go home after that to do footwork drills."
All of that has had a massive payoff. Wiersma is putting up virtually unheard of numbers this season, averaging more than 18 yards per carry (45 carries, 844 yards) and already with 14 touchdowns in four games, all of them Kingsland wins.
It was Wiersma's off-season work that put him here.
"I'd say he is twice as good as he was last year," Kolling said. "He put on some good weight over the offseason, about 18 pounds, and he dropped three-tenths-of-a-second off his 40 time (down to 4.6). I've been around football for a number of years, and I've never seen anyone go at it the way he did this summer. After watching him, in the back of my mind, I was thinking, 'He might not get tackled this season.' "
Opponents have gotten Wiersma to the ground. But it hasn't been without a considerable fight from Kingsland's prize senior.
"I take a lot of pride in not easily going down at the running-back position," Wiersma said. "It helps to be strong, fast and quick. I work so hard because I love football. It's been my sport since the fifth grade. And I want to be a great athlete and a great person. Working hard helps with all of that."
Wiersma is a powerhouse. He bench presses 295 pounds and squats 455.
Also helping him has been an offensive line that is eager and able to make openings. Wiersma has taken full advantage of that and is the first to give his blockers credit.
"We've got a bunch of 'dawgs' in the trenches," he said. "And our coaches have been doing great things, too."
Wiersma picked Winona State over a host of other Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schools, including the University of Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota State University, Mankato.
He said it was the relationships he was able to build with WSU's coaches that set the Warriors apart.
The Kingsland senior also likes how close Winona is to home, just 57 miles away.
Winona State is 2-2 this season, including 2-1 in the NSIC. Wiersma expects to be redshirted next year.
Wiersma is among three southeastern Minnesota football players to recently commit to Winona State. He joins Stewartville linebacker Caleb Jannsen and Kasson-Mantorville defensive end Easton Suess.