Josh Encinas never set out to be a powerlifter, but he’s found a passion for the sport that highlights his lifelong commitment to mental toughness, determination and belief in your power despite all odds. His story started in Los Angeles, California, and a winding road brought him to Cushing, where he’s an educator, coach and loving father, who also happens to be a national powerlifting finalist.
The oldest of three children, Josh was in and out of foster care from the age of two and spent time in more than 20 foster homes. Teachers were the only constant in his life, and he recalls the positive influence they had on him. From a young age, he was certain of one thing. He wanted a better life for himself, and he was determined to build it.
He met his wife, Leah, in sixth grade attending Perkins-Tryon Public Schools for a season. They stayed in touch and were married in 2010. Leah was a support to Josh during his two deployments overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan through his service to the Army National Guard.
For twelve years, he served his country at a great sacrifice to his own health. During his deployment in Afghanistan, he was injured in three separate bombings, sustaining traumatic brain injuries and physical limitations that impact his daily life. He was awarded a Purple Heart for his service in Afghanistan and endured several surgeries to regain function in his shoulder and repair nerve damage stemming from back injuries.
“Because of the traumatic brain injuries, I have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia. So I challenge myself and lean into things that don’t come naturally to me. That’s how I ended up in a research lab at OSU,” Josh said.
After attending Northern Oklahoma College, he advanced to Oklahoma State University as a vaccine researcher. He was a finalist for the undergraduate researcher of the year and had a promising future in the field. But when his mentor and professor moved his lab to the University of Kansas, Josh decided to stay in the community he loved. He earned his degree in secondary education and began working for Cushing Public Schools shortly after as a high school science teacher.
Several years later, he expanded upon his role as an educator and began coaching softball.
“As a teacher and coach, you wear 1,000 hats. That’s what I love about it. You aren’t just teaching kids, you’re a counselor, mentor and influential part of their life. Sometimes we see students for more hours a day than their parents do. That gives us a chance to make a special connection with them,” Josh said.
His efforts to connect with his students and support their interests is what brought powerlifting into his life. Two of his female athletes wanted to compete, so he volunteered his time in the evenings to train with them. During that training, he realized the injuries he’d sustained to his hip would not allow him the full range of motion he needed to powerlift. That’s when Leah encouraged him to contact Dr. Jordan Stivers at Stillwater Medical Center. As an operating room nurse, Leah sees patients experience healing on a daily basis, and she knew Dr. Stivers could help her husband.
“Dr. Stivers told me about the new things they are doing in surgery and how he could help me regain more movement in my hip,” Josh said. “He was a very personable, very nice guy, and after surgery, he checked up on me.”
Physical therapy was an important part of Josh’s healing process, and he’s grateful for the team at Simpson’s Physical Therapy in Cushing for helping him through it all.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned in this is: don’t put limits on yourself. If you want to do something there’s nothing holding you back but yourself. It’s going to take a village but you can do what you set your mind to,” Josh said.
His powerlifting team of two has grown to 22, becoming a school sanctioned girls sport in Cushing. The team had eight athletes qualify for the state competition. Linsey Reed was high school state champion and will go on to lift for Oklahoma City University with a scholarship. Zoie Ledgerwood was junior high state champion and the rest of the team struggled through stumbles and falls.
“The reason I work out with them is because I fail at lifts. You push yourself to fail. It’s all a part of the process. If they see an old man can do it, these young bodies can do it,” Josh said.
Josh’s dedication in the gym is paying off. He competes in multiple powerlifting competitions each year and has qualified to compete at nationals in Tulsa in October. Next year, he’ll compete in Mr. Olympia. But there’s something he values more than his achievements and that’s inspiring young people to believe in themselves.
“I’m a full send type of person. If you don’t go all out, they won’t buy into it. They’re going to see me go all out because at the end of the day, it’s all you. Your mindset determines your success in life. I want them to see that and understand that from a young age,” Josh said.
