Zach Perkins
Strength & Conditioning Coach, Director of Fitness Center
Zach is in his fourth year as Strength and Conditioning Coach and Fitness Center Director here at Prairie. He has experience working with a wide range of clients including youth, high school and college athletes, and adults. A former competitor in olympic weightlifting, Zach knows what it takes to maximize performance.
Prior to his current role, Zach spent three years as the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Ohio University. He oversaw all strength and conditioning activities for Men’s Basketball, Women’s Soccer, Softball and assisted with Football. Prior to OU, Zach served on the strength and conditioning staff at California State University- Bakersfield, where he worked with a wide variety of sports. Prior to California State, he was a strength and conditioning intern at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, working primarily with Men’s and Women’s Basketball and Men’s and Women’s Hockey. He earned his Master’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Zach’s coaching philosophy is to help people accomplish their goals through hard work, consistency, and following a sound program tailored to their specific needs. He strives to empower his clients by meeting them where they are, and pushing them to new heights of success.
Certifications:
- Strength & Conditioning Specialist (NSCA)
- National Coach (USA Weightlifting)
- BSE in Physical Education (UW-Whitewater)
- MSE in Health, Human Performance and Recreation (UW-Whitewater)
Sammie Woodward ’16 
Physical Education and Health Teacher, Boys’ Varsity Basketball Assistant Coach
Sammie Woodward is entering her first year as the Middle School Physical Education and Health teacher here at Prairie. Sammie graduated from TPS in 2016, and then went to Carthage College where she studied Exercise Sports Science. Sammie graduated with her Master’s in Education and Leadership from Carthage in May 2022. Over the last five years as a personal trainer, Sammie has had several roles in the fitness realm where she has worked with people of various levels with differing goals and aspirations.
As a strength and conditioning intern at Marquette University and at Prairie, Sammie has worked with athletes of all skills and ages and learned how to maximize performance through training. These experiences assisted Sammie as she spent two years as Carthage’s Strength and Conditioning Graduate Assistant. She also spent time working as a Personal Training and Group Fitness Instructor at Legacy Gym MKE, owned by fellow Prairie alumna Brittany Holterman ’04.
Sammie’s training philosophy is to help people find joy in fitness by discovering their ‘why’. Through genuine planning, encouragement, and motivation, Sammie is dedicated to creating a trusting relationship to help each person reach their individual goals and excel far beyond their expectations.
Certifications and Education:
- Certified Personal Trainer: National Academy of Sports Medicine
- Certified Nutrition Coach: National Academy of Sports Medicine
- Certified Sports Nutrition Coach: National Academy of Sports Medicine
- USA Weightlifting Coach – Level 1
- Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Sports Science (Carthage College)
- Master’s of Education in Sports Leadership (Carthage College)
Once completed, Sammie will review your form before contacting you to discuss next steps.