Each school year the Boosters choose one facility improvement or renovation to focus on. This year they decided to prioritize the weight room at Gary Kehler Stadium and transformed the room into a state-of-the-art facility that will allow athletes to train at a high level. 

The old weight room was outdated and in desperate need of improvement. The floor wasn’t level, and there were a lot of curbs in the room that were about three or four inches high. The platforms that were used for deadlifts outside the rack stations made the room feel choppy and disorganized. 

The recent renovations to the weight room have transformed the training space. The interlocking floor was replaced, and the addition of the Blue Devil logo on the floor makes a striking statement that ties the room together. 

WHS Athletic Director Sandra Mamary said, “The kids walk in there and it gives them this sense of pride, that they are going in there to put in work and then carry that forward to their respective athletic event.” 

She said that there will eventually be some motivational banners in the weight room as well. This will reinforce the values of WHS athletics with the determination and hard work shown by athletes each day at practice as they pursue their goals. 

Shane Hanna, a junior on the football team, said, “My team uses the weight room pretty much every day. It’s an environment everyone on the team is familiar with and everyone loves to be there.” 

The weight room no longer has weight machines, like the ones at the high school fitness center; now there are only free weights at Kehler. “Judging off photos I have seen of the new weight room, there will be better equipment, and this will allow athletes to maximize their training efforts. Having equipment in good condition is motivating and allows me to train and perform at the best of my ability,” said Ethan Yucetepe, a freshman runner on the boy’s track team. 

The open floor plan of the room not only allows for more room to exercise, but it also creates a space for coaches and athletes to watch game film and prepare for upcoming competitions. The new weight room will be a central training space for various WHS sports teams. According to Mamary, “the goal of the weight room is to give our coaches and athletes the best possible tools for success.”

Hanna said, “Even though the old weight room worked pretty well, I’m really grateful for the new renovations, which will provide even more opportunities to improve as an athlete.” 

School being closed as a result of the pandemic made the renovation easier than anticipated because the remodel didn’t disrupt any teams during their spring seasons. It was a great opportunity to complete the renovation and the space will be waiting for athletes once school reopens and sports are allowed to resume.