Grant Achterkirch’s first love was football. Since elementary school, football has been his favorite thing in the world. Achterkirch is a three sport athlete who is also involved in baseball and hockey, but football has always stood out to him the most. His incredible abilities and passion for the game has given him the opportunity to play at the next level. He was also given the opportunity to play in the Minnesota High School Football Showcase which is an all-star game where all of the best High School players in the state come together to play a game. Achterkirch will be taking his talents to the University of St. Thomas who has just recently become a Division I program. 

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CJ Theis

Senior captain Grant Achterkirch commands the defense against the Austin Packers.

St. Thomas offered Achterkirch later than the other schools did, but the opportunities that they provided made it a fairly easy decision for him to commit. Achterkirch said, “I chose St. Thomas because of the education opportunities and football opportunities as well as location.” Achterkirch will go down as one of the greatest linebackers to ever play at Owatonna High School, but this was not without hard work. 

He has never been the biggest or the fastest, but he makes up for his lack of speed and size with aggression, football IQ and hardworking nature. Head coach of the Owatonna Football team Jeff Williams said, “Grant always has a great sense of the game plan so he knows what to expect in any given situation. This allows him to anticipate and to get to the ball quickly. Grant loves the contact phase of the game. He is not afraid to hit. Grant also makes people around him better. He plays at a high level and that makes his teammates elevate as well.” 

Although Achterkirch is a phenomenal player, arguably the most impressive thing about him is his leadership abilities. He is a captain in all three of his sports so it is very clear that he is highly respected amongst his peers. Achterkirch leads by example and it elevates the game of his teammates. Coach Jeff Williams said, “You will always get a great effort from Grant. He never holds anything in reserve. That allows him to maximize his own ability while serving a model to other players as to how you need to play the game. The best leaders show others how it needs to be done.” 

Achterkirch intends on majoring in criminal justice. His family, friends, teammates and coaches are very excited to see what he can accomplish at the next level and have very high hopes for his future.

OHS Magnet will be running Signing Day Athlete Profiles throughout the winter months in alphabetical order.