Some athletes do just enough to win. Others push the limits and leave nothing behind.
Parsons High School senior Autumn Sands made sure her final trip to the platform was unforgettable, sweeping first place in every event and rewriting the record books at the 3A State Powerlifting Meet in Chapman.
Sands set a new Kansas all-time record in her weight class with a 235-pound clean, breaking the previous mark of 215 pounds—a record she already held and had tied with Beloit’s Michala Hoff.
“A couple hours later, she squatted 330 pounds to shatter the previous 148-pound class record of 305 set back in 2023,” said PHS Principal Rob Barcus.
She added a 145-pound bench press, bringing her total to 710 pounds—yet another state record.
“It was really exciting. I’m glad I went out with a bang,” Sands said. “Me and my coach were talking during the meet, saying we didn’t really need to go super heavy because I had pretty much secured all the state titles on my first attempt. But I had that mindset of, ‘This is my last year, and I want to set some records that will stay there for a while.’ So I left it all out there. I gave it all I had.”
That mindset didn’t happen by accident.
After years of CrossFit training and weightlifting, Sands made a deliberate shift in 2025, embracing a more intense, strength-focused training cycle.
“We brought more intensity, higher volume, and lower reps, which helped me gain a lot of muscle,” she said. “Before, I was really focused on technique. This year was more strength-based, and it really improved my squat and my clean.”
Much of that work happens in solitude.
Training remotely under coach Brad Jonquardt of Gardner, Sands spends most days lifting alone in her garage, sending videos for feedback and making occasional trips for in-person sessions.
“I train almost every day,” she said.
Next up is the national stage in Colorado Springs this June.
“That’s the next mission,” Sands said. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m excited to see how training plays out. I feel like I’m in a really good cycle right now, so hopefully I keep improving.”
She’s also chasing a return to Team USA—this time at a higher level.
After earning a spot on the youth team and bringing home bronze medals from the 2024 Youth Pan American Championships, Sands now faces the challenge of making the junior team after turning 18.
“I’m kind of the underdog again,” she said. “Trying to get back on that team.”
Her future extends beyond these competitions.
Sands is currently weighing college opportunities, with scholarship offers from Mars Hill University in North Carolina and Mid-America Nazarene in Olathe.
“I definitely want to continue my weightlifting career as long as I can,” she said. “I’m just trying to find the best fit.”
As she plans for her own future beyond PHS, she is hopeful for the student athletes stepping into the program.
Just a year ago, Parsons sent only two weightlifting athletes to state. This year, 18 competed in Chapman, with several bringing home top-six finishes—including freshman Collin Ray, who placed second in the 123-pound division.
For Sands, that growth may be just as meaningful as the records.
When the next generation steps onto the platform, she hopes they won’t just be chasing medals—they’ll be chasing the standard she set.
A standard built on showing up, pushing further and harder, and—when the moment comes—leaving nothing behind.