Baseball and barbells: Boswell athlete’s powerlifting success carries over

Whether it’s lifting weights or helping raise up his baseball team, Boswell senior Xander Thacker knows how to reach a higher level.

Thacker recently won the 181-pound weight class at the Class 6A state powerlifting meet in Abilene. He lifted a career-best total of 1,630 pounds that included a 655 squat, 415 bench press and 560 deadlift.

And he’s one of the best baseball players in North Texas, as the Pioneers chase another playoff berth, which has become an annual tradition for the program. He’s batting over .400 and has an ERA of just one run per game as a starting and relief pitcher.

What makes his accomplishments even more impressive is that the end of the powerlifting season overlaps with the start of baseball.

“Competing in two sports during the same season is definitely challenging, but I enjoy it. It forces me to stay disciplined with my time, recovery and focus,” Thacker said. “As far as my success in both, that comes from my preparation.”

One sport helps the other

“Powerlifting helps a lot with my success in baseball by building strength, explosiveness and power. Baseball also helps my lifting through improved athleticism, coordination and mobility,” Thacker said.

He also qualified for state powerlifting as a junior, lifting a previous best of 1,380 pounds. In his first two varsity baseball seasons, the Pioneers were 59-15, advancing four rounds deep in the 2024 playoffs.

His baseball accolades include being all-district two straight seasons, at second base in 2024 and at third base last season.

“He’s always been an all-out effort type of player. He’s been the type of guy to throw and swing hard, or lay out for a ball in the hole,” Boswell head baseball coach Joshua Stone said. “However, balls he hits now look a little different than the way they used to, with how strong he has gotten.”

A stronger mentality

Stone said Thacker has also strengthened his mental game.

“With how much he has devoted to baseball development, lifting weights and playing the game, he also has a savviness to his game that a high school player doesn’t normally have,” Stone said. “I appreciate that I have a player that has a mind like a coach, and isn’t afraid to bring ideas or questions to me about scenarios or approaches in-game.”

Thacker has committed to playing baseball at Navarro College in Corsicana. He’s not planning to lift competitively in college, but said he might get back into the sport after his baseball career is over.

He plans to major in business. However, his No. 1 career goal is to play baseball for a living and then get into a coaching or training career.

“I want to, hopefully, run my own facility training athletes,” he said.

Growth as a leader

Stone noted that Thacker has grown tremendously as a leader over time. He said he has always had the next-level work ethic, but over time, he has grown into a vocal leader.

“The two classes before him had a handful of great senior leaders like Coby McBride, Mason Bell, Sawyer Farr, etc., that took him in, which has helped Xander step up to be that guy,” Stone said. “He can squat more than half of the team combined, so I don’t think he has to try too hard to get respect, but his work ethic, his teammates have witnessed, earned that respect and title to go with it.”

Stone said he can see Thacker advancing to the highest level of college baseball after his time at Navarro.

“With the way recruiting and the transfer portal work, I could very easily see him performing well at Navarro and becoming a D1 player,” Stone said. “Whether that be pitching or as a hitter, only time will tell, because he has done both very well for us so far.

“I am excited for Xander’s future at the next level, as he will be a fun one to follow. With Xander’s baseball knowledge and his commitment to strength and health, someone is going to have to rip the jersey off of his back for his playing career to be over.”