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16 Kirkwood
Sports
Call
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Extreme Makeover: Weight room edition
The final step in construction of the Varsity Gym complex has been completed with
the unveiling of the new weight room. Located by the trainer’s office, the weight room will offer
brand new equipment for student use.
Students are able to perform heavy lifting such
as the ‘snatch and grab’ on the various platforms
around the weight room.
From the dance room, to the health
rooms, to the new state-of-the-art weight
room that has doubled in size, Kirkwood
High School students returned to school
to find a number of enhancements. The
new gymnasium has improved in both athletics
and academics.
“The new weight room and facilities
were very important,” Jim Velten, athletics
director, said. “Dr. Damerall(KSD superintendent)
is really committed to fitness and
the health of our kids.”
The construction lasted all summer.
The wrestling room was moved above the
weight room, where the wall that divided
the upstairs into two rooms was knocked
down in order to make one large room. The
photos by
Lydia Mitchener
The weight room boasts machines designated
for student use. The machines can be used anywhere
from pull ups to the inclined bench press.
wrestling team will also have permanent
mats this season, which they never had.
KHS has specific rooms for dance, which
are used by both the poms and cheerleaders.
“The dance studio is great, it allows the
poms to have their own little space, which
has never happened in past years,” Jordan
Napier, freshman, said. “We no longer have
to use the gyms.”
When the students walk into the gym,
the first thing they notice is the huge windows
looking into the weight room. The
new weight room consists of not only
strength training, but also new cardiovascular
machines.
Along with the new cardio machines,
there is new electronic capability. The
treadmills have a docking station for iPod’s,
a touch screen and built in fans. The
Six brand new treadmills with touch screen and
iPod capability sit in a row along the windows.
At $10,000 each, they are a significant asset.
weight room is available to any student
after school until 4:15 p.m., when the first
activity bus leaves.
“The weight room, really encourages
more people to go in there and use it,”
Andrew Perry, senior, said. “It is cool to
be one of the first people in it and to take
advantage of some of the new things, like
the treadmills.”
The old weight room is now two health
rooms. With easy access to the weight
room, the health and fitness classes are
able to take advantage of all the recourses
being in one building. All things having to
do with athletics are now all together rather
then spread throughout the school.
“I really hope all of the students realize that
this is really a very special athletic complex,”
Velten said. “I hope they understand how fortunate
we are. It’s truly one of a kind.”
Weights align the wall of the new weight room.
Like the equipment, the weights themselves are
old and carry over from last year.