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From Elementary School to Varsity Captain: Breckton Meeuwsen’s PowerStrength Journey
Breckton Meeuwsen started walking through PowerStrength’s doors at an early age.
Now a senior at Grand Rapids Christian, he’s started on the Varsity baseball team since his Freshman year and is heading into his second season on Varsity football — all while working his way back from a shoulder surgery that cost him his entire Junior baseball season.
Here’s how years of showing up built the athlete — and the person — he is today.
THE START
Breckton’s story at PowerStrength didn’t start with a college dream. It started as a kid having fun with his friends.
“I came here in elementary school for a little bit,” he said. “It was a lot of fun. I remember hanging out with the trainers, and I just felt like I was in control of my body more.”
His parents didn’t have to push him into it, either — if anything, it was the opposite.
“He actually asked us to sign him up,” his dad, Mike, said. “He wants to do probably more than he even should. He has an extreme interest in playing at a high level, and whatever he does, he’s very motivated on his own.”
THE TRANSFORMATION
As Breckton got older and came back to train more seriously, the results followed.
“I’ve seen my explosiveness just go way up,” he said. “I wasn’t very fast before, and I definitely gained a lot of speed — and a lot of strength, especially in my lower half.”
Mike watched the shift happen early.
“It kind of turned that middle school baby fat into real muscle, and you started seeing a little bit more explosion,” he said. “It wasn’t a lot of massive weight training initially — it was more about being a little quicker, faster. And then the mass and the strength started flowing through with the program.”
PROOF ON THE FIELD
The training has shown up directly in Breckton’s performance — on the diamond and in pads.
“I’ve noticed breaking tackles a lot, and being quicker off the ball,” he said of football.
On the baseball field, the impact has been just as clear.
“I definitely see it in exit velocity off the bat — hitting the ball a lot harder — and speed and quickness in the infield.”
Mike remembers exactly when it clicked for him as a parent.
“We were playing against Wheaton in Chicago last year. He caught a screen pass on the left-hand side of the field,” he said. “He turned upfield, went right through the first guy — it probably took three or four guys to bring him down along the sideline. This has made a difference.”
THE COMEBACK
Breckton’s Junior year came with a setback that would have derailed many athletes: shoulder surgery that ended his baseball season before it started. But the way he and his family talk about it, the injury became part of the story rather than the end of it.
“It’s nice to have people you trust who are going to make sure I strengthen the muscles around it and get back to full strength,” Breckton said. “My legs have gotten a lot stronger after coming here — even before I could do shoulder exercises.”
Mike credits the program’s support system — and specifically the PowerStrength coaches who help athletes through injuries every day — with getting Breckton through it mentally.
“It’s been super helpful from a mentality standpoint, to know that there’s time to recover and come back stronger,” he said.
His mom, Susan, saw the same encouragement carry him through.
“You can’t do anything with your upper body, so — okay, let’s focus on the legs,” she said. “That goes back to that encouragement, that feeling of, they’re going to get him better. A lot of times when you’re done with PT, you can only go so far. This took him above and beyond.”
CONFIDENCE & LEADERSHIP
Ask Breckton what’s changed most since he started training, and it’s not just the numbers — it’s the mindset.
“I definitely gained a lot of confidence, and my mentality has improved a lot,” he said. “I’m able to embrace the challenge now. I don’t want things handed to me — I want to work for it.”
That mentality has translated directly into leadership on his teams.
“I was a captain on the baseball team this past year, and I couldn’t even play,” he said. “I expect to be a captain on the football team this year — and I think a lot of that is the leadership stuff PowerStrength always talks about.”
Susan has seen it show up in his presence on the field, too.
“Almost no fear on the field,” she said.
ADVICE FROM THE MEEUWSEN FAMILY
Ask Breckton what he’d tell someone in his shoes a few years ago, and his answer is simple.
“It’s definitely worth it,” he said. “You get a whole lot better — way more explosive, way faster, way stronger. And the trainers here, and the group of guys, they really care about you too.”
Mike’s advice to other parents considering PowerStrength comes with one condition.
“They have to be motivated. They have to want to do it — you can’t force them,” he said. “But I would tell them: do it. As your child wants to improve and work hard at it, you’re just giving them opportunities.”
Asked to sum up what PowerStrength has meant to him, Breckton didn’t need long to answer.
“PowerStrength is helping you become the best athlete you can be,” he said. “And it’s really just great.”
WANT TO SEE BIG RESULTS?
3rd–12th grade athletes of all sports and ability levels can sign up at PowerStrength at any time throughout the year while spots remain. Choose the PowerStrength location most convenient for you — Alpine, Kentwood, Jenison, Plainfield, Holland, or Byron Center. Visit powerstrengthpro.com/athlete/contact/ to learn more or click below to schedule your assessment and get started.