He’s the Bridgeport High School Student Body Class President. He’s a member of the National Honor Society as well.

 

You can add to that membership in the French Club and the French Honorary and well as playing the cello in the BHS Orchestra. Oh, for good measure, this past summer he not only was voted governor at Mountaineer Boys State, he also was voted Secretary of Homeland Security at Boys Nation.

 

Sounds like a smart young man. Okay, add to it that he’s also got a pretty good academic load and has double digits in college credits due to successful completion of AP courses and exams in subjects such as chemistry, calculus, physics, English, statistics and more.

 

For good measure, he’s also been the leading tackler and among the leading rushers for the Bridgeport High School football team. And whether they won their game Saturday against Mingo Central (as this was written prior to the game), it doesn’t change a thing about Carson Winkie.

 

The BHS senior is a walking advertisement for the term “student-athlete.”  His grades and academic background are as flawless as his tackling on the football field. He’s proof positive that the classroom and playing not only can co-exist but can be bountiful when putting the proper effort into both.

 

Of course, Winkie admits he has some help. In fact, it’s help he carries with him every day at school to make sure the massive schedule he faces is done properly and nothing is missed.

 

Winkie, who sure looks like an all-state football player this year, carries a schedule with him. For folks like myself who simply took a Bic pen and wrote whatever we needed to do on our hand back in our high school days, this is more than just impressive. It’s something I’ve never heard of.

 

“I keep a written schedule. I keep it in an agenda (note) book. It’s the only way I can remember to keep all my stuff together, particularly with student council and football,” said Winkie. “It works.”

 

In fact, Winkie brushes off his above accomplishments as something that’s a pretty simple formula.

 

“Honestly, it’s just dedication when it comes down to it. Anyone can do it if they take the time to write a schedule and stick to it,” said Winkie. “All you have to have to make it work is the discipline to stay to the schedule no matter how hard it gets.”

 

What that means is sacrifice. Winkie said sometimes it’s sleep and sometimes it’s his social life.

 

“I honestly don’t mind because it’s good to have the balance and keep everything consistent,” said Winkie. “It helps produce positive results. It’s helped in football for sure.”

 

Winkie was no slouch as a junior for the Tribe. In the offseason, despite a full plate of activities, he decided he wanted to be a force on the team. And that meant getting bigger and stronger in the weight room.

 

“What he did in the offseason was pretty impressive. He put on 20 pounds of muscle from last year through dedication because he was determined to get better,” said BHS Coach John Cole. “He’s lost a little of that weight because of the season and because we don’t lift as much, but anyone that’s watched us knows who he is because he worked for it.

 

“We’ve had a lot of good linebackers here; a lot,” Cole continued. “Can you throw Carson in there with some of the best I’ve seen? You absolutely can and it shows that when you’re talented and willing to work in the classroom and on the football field good things can happen.”

 

When the season began, Winkie was at 6’2 and 225 pounds. He met his goal of being bigger, stronger and better.

 

“I wanted to become a better player and help the team. I ate a lot of food, hit the weight room and motivated others to do the same,” said Winkie. “It’s my senior year and I wanted to have a hand in making our team go as far as possible.

 

“I also knew we lost a lot of players from last year and I knew I needed to be a role model,” he continued. “I wanted to take on the role as a team leader.”

 

Leadership is a reason that Winkie has been nominated and already received a letter of assurance that a spot is waiting for him at the United States Naval Academy.  He’s leaning toward heading to the Academy, where his brother Mitchell just graduated from and he’s now attending Harvard Medical School

 

“I’ve had exposure to the academy. I’ve seen the tradition. It’s something I’m interested in for sure,” he said.

 

Winkie has also applied to Harvard. He’s getting ready to put applications into Duke and Vanderbilt.

 

What’s he looking to do?

 

“I’m not positive but considering doing a career based around public service. I’ve been thinking about pursuing a medical degree. At the same time, I’m undecided,” said Winkie.

 

The world is at his feet due to his efforts. Bridgeport Principal Matt DeMotto, and Winkie himself, point to one other critical thing that has turned him into the ultimate student-athlete.

 

“Athletics play a vital role in the educational development of a student and instills discipline and character if attention is paid to both and the athletics and academics are  done right,” said DeMotto. “Carson is doing it right.

 

“The other thing you need is that very little can replace is the way a kid is raised,” he continued. “If you have parents with high expectations, accountability and not making excuses, then you have a chance to have a Carson Winkie.”

 

The parents in this case are Ken and Leslie Winkie. Carson quickly credits them with him and his other younger brother’s success.

 

“They set all of us up for a bright future. Both were in law enforcement with dad in the DEA and mom working at the FBI. The big thing is they valued education, integrity and honest,” said Winkie. “They set us up with strong moral beliefs by attending church every week as a family. They’ve instilled in us the importance of doing your best to have the best future possible.”

 

In the present, Winkie has been an absolute beast on the football field.

 

“Almost every play Carson is where he’s supposed to be and people don’t realize how important it is just lining up right on defense,” said Cole. “On top of that, he gets everyone else lined up and takes the signals from the sideline and communicates it.

 

“That’s the mental part of it, but the physical aspect is there too. If he’s coming at you from the right angle then you better look out,” Cole continued. “On top of that, he’ll block on offense or he’ll run the ball and he does both well. You consider what he does in the classroom and he breaks the mold of what people think about athletes.”

 

Cole said the program he heads has been blessed by a lot of kids who take the classroom serious but says that “Carson is a little above even the highest average” when it comes to taking the intelligence and applying it to game day.

 

“People overlook that as a reason for the success we’ve had,” said Cole. “Trust me, it’s a big reason. Carson is a big reason for our success this year and he can play if he wants to at the next level.”

 

Winkie isn’t so sure. He said he’s thought about it but hasn’t made any formal decision.

 

“It’s a lot of work in college and academics have to come first. If I could keep the balance, particularly at the Naval Academy, it would be an option,” he said.

 

Winkie said the Naval Academy hasn’t recruited him to play for their program. However, he said even though it’s uncommon, he could walk-on to the squad.

 

Cole said he’d like to see him play more, but already knows what the reason will be if he doesn’t.

 

“Everything is secondary after his education. He’s actually missed some workouts and practices for good reasons because it has to do with academics,” said Cole. “He fully understands, and his family preaches it, education is the most important thing. Because of that, the football team has been the beneficiary. All it takes is dedication.”

 

Dedication, yes, and a written schedule too.

 

Editor's Note: Action photos by www.benqueen photography. Photo of Carson Winkie with his schedule agenda notebook courtesy of Debbie Wagner. Photo of Winkie at Mountaineer Boys State with Harrison Couty native and Statue Auditor J.B. McCuskey courtesy of Mike Queen.