Whether by taking an advanced PE class or lifting weights with their team, a majority of students have utilized the weight room at one point or another. 

In order to better the weight room for the numerous students who use it, this Christmas break the weight room will undergo multiple renovations. Mr. Cody Johnson, strength and conditioning coach, said, “The entire space will have new state-of-the-art flooring installed, including 16 in-laid platforms for all our ground-based movements.”

Once the flooring portion of the project is complete, eight Olympic barbells, eight complete bumper plate sets and eight Hammer Strength half racks will be installed. These renovations are contracted out and are done by professionals. Johnson said, “Fitness Flooring Inc. will be responsible for the flooring install. Hammer Strength will be responsible for the installation of the eight half racks.” 

To better the athletic program, these changes were very much needed.

“Our weight room space is antiquated compared to everybody we play. It impacts the development of our athletes and our families here at Cathedral High School (who) expect us to develop them as students, as people, socially, spiritually and also our job is to provide an opportunity for them to develop athletically. What we’re doing is basically catching up to where our competitors are at,” Mr. Bill Peebles ’88, head football coach and admission liaison, said. These renovations will be available to students by the time they get back from break.

Peebles said, “We should be ready to rock and roll on Jan. 6.”

These changes specifically target the area available in the weight room. “We are going to have a lot more space, so it’s going to be more efficient. The number of pieces of equipment are going to decrease in there, but the number of workspaces and the spaces allotted to perform those exercises is going to increase. We’re going to have less stuff, but be more efficient and more effective,” Peebles said. 

The need for a renovated weight room was in the works for months before any changes were actually carried out. Peebles said, “The first thing I recognized when I first came to Cathedral was the need to enhance our weight room, so we’ve really been thinking about this since I was hired and on board last January. The fact that we were able to raise the money over the summer allowed us to do the planning of what needed to be done took place in August; it’s actually moved really fast.” 

Peebles and Johnson had their own roles and responsibilities when it came to bettering the facility. 

Peebles said, “I worked with Coach Johnson. He did all the groundwork and all the details. My role was using our football fundraiser in August, which was our bingo night, to raise money for the weight room.” Peebles said he is particularly fired up to see how many more students can utilize the space for strength training. “The new equipment is great. The new floors are going to allow us to do different exercises. We can do more explosive lifts, which we’re unable to do in great numbers, so when people get in there, there can be 40 kids doing cleans and Olympic type lifts. Right now that number is limited to a dozen,” Peebles said. 

This change will allow every student who wants to use the weight room the same way it affects the football team. Peebles said, “It should impact everybody equally. Obviously since I’m the football coach I want these changes to help the football program, but these renovations should help every single student who takes the weight class and uses the weight room.”