Posted
September 25, 2025
As the winningest high school athletic program in Ohio—and one of the most respected in the nation—the St. Edward Eagles are a force in 17 sports. The question everyone asks is: what’s the secret? The answer: there isn’t one; it’s just hard work. And that work begins in the weight room, under the guidance of Director of Sports Performance Auggie Promersberger.
Step into the St. Edward weight room and you’ll feel the energy instantly. Heavy metal music blares from the speakers, weights crash against the racks, and student-athletes from every sport test their limits. At the center of it all is Coach Auggie, a 6’6” strength coach with a commanding presence and an infectious energy. Edsmen know him as tough but trusted—a coach who challenges them relentlessly, always in ways that are safe, smart, and right for their age and ability.
Promersberger’s own journey explains his passion for performance. Born in Milwaukee, he moved to Ohio as a freshman at Solon High School, where he competed in football, track, and wrestling. He went on to play football at Ashland University, earning a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s degree in applied exercise physiology. For more than a decade, he has brought that expertise to St. Edward, where he now holds the highest certification in his field.
No two athletes are the same. A 300-pound offensive lineman shouldn’t train like a lightweight rower. Every program has to match the individual—their sport, their body, their goals. That’s how you get results. - Auggie Promersberger
College-Level Training in High School
Under Promersberger’s leadership, St. Edward’s Sports Performance Program has grown into a comprehensive system that develops strength, agility, speed, flexibility, and endurance. Student-athletes undergo movement screenings, monitor nutrition, and train with advanced technology—including velocity-based training, a tool typically reserved for college-level programs.
“Auggie never lets an opportunity pass when it comes to growth that benefits the kids,” says Athletic Director Pete Kahler ’02. “He goes to more coaching clinics and professional development opportunities than any other coach I know. He’s always learning—not just the latest science and technology, but how to better connect with the students. That speaks volumes about who he is.”
A True Team Mentality
Collaboration fuels the program. Team coaches work closely with Promersberger, and they learn from each other. Promersberger recalls “absolutely getting a master class” early on from Head Basketball Coach Eric Flannery ’90 and Head Football Coach Tom Lombardo. “When our coaches would do their thing, I would grab a pen and be furiously jotting down every bit of knowledge I could learn from them.”
Lombardo, who was on the hiring committee when Promersberer applied, says, “Auggie talked about training across all sports. I thought that was really important. It’s not just sport-specific with a 14- or 15-year-old. We’ve got to develop range, teach him how to lift, and get him moving. He trains them to become better athletes overall. And for the football program, I think you can see the results of the 10 years we’ve been together.”
Coaching the Whole Person
"The brotherhood in the weight room teaches the guys how to connect with each other, even when their sports have nothing in common,” says Kahler. “It’s a melting pot where Coach Auggie brings them together. He cares deeply about each young man he works with.”
Promersberger knows that training is about more than sets and reps. “With high school guys, I have to consider their psyche,” he explains. “They’ll give everything they have, but I need to understand them, too. Sometimes I’ll notice an athlete is struggling—or one of their friends will mention it—and that means we pause. My job is to care for the whole person, not just their workout.”
For him, that connection is personal.
"My wife and I have three amazing little girls—I love being a girl dad,” he reflects. “But here, these are the only sons I have. I get to watch them grow into strong young men, in and out of the weight room. They come back after graduation, tell me how they’re doing, and sometimes I get to follow their collegiate and professional athletic careers from afar. To know I played a part in their beginning—that means everything.”
Lasting Impact
“The biggest compliments I get about Coach Auggie are from kids who email me from college,” Kahler says with a smile. “They tell me they didn’t fully appreciate what Promersberger taught them until going into their college weight rooms and realizing how prepared they are. We’re giving them college stimulus at a younger age to prepare them for the next level. Not many trainers in the high school world do that. Lucky for us, Coach Auggie isn’t most trainers.”
Select photos by alumnus Pat Gallagher ’75. Click here to see more of his work.