Sam Krystosek is a native of the small central Minnesota town of Royalton (pop. 1,242). He learned the value of hard work growing up, working at the family farm and his father's construction subcontracting business. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from Saint John’s University (Minn.) in 2007. While at SJU, Sam competed as a member of the track and field team, and lived abroad for a semester in Galway, Ireland studying at University of Galway.

Sam continued his education at Xavier University in Cincinnati and earned a master’s degree in athletic administration in 2009. Upon graduating from Xavier, Sam followed in the footsteps of many of his family members and served in the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer for three years, primarily at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he worked as a company executive officer for the U.S. Army Airborne School and the 1-19 Infantry Battalion.

After leaving the military, Sam attended law school at the University of South Dakota. Upon graduation, Sam served as a law clerk for the judges of South Dakota’s Third Judicial Circuit, and has been in private practice since 2017.

Sam resides in Sioux Falls with his wife, Katie, and their three daughters.