In recent years, high school sports have gained popularity and become increasingly competitive. Last year, the NFHS reported that over 8 million high school students played a sport during the 2023–24 season, setting a new record for participation. More athletes mean more pressure on competitive sports, raising the standards for high school athletes. As the number of athletes grows, so does the amount of specialized training.
“I realized that a majority of these schools that are on our schedule either have an in-house strength and conditioning program, or they pay for their kids to go to T3 training or other facilities,” Lakewood athletics director Rob Slone said.
With these growing numbers, it became clear that Lakewood needed to make some changes. Slone began consulting coaches for input on keeping up with the increasing competition. Several coaches recommended Coach Jimmy Gajewski to lead a new weight-lifting program.
“The baseball coach and boys basketball coach knew Jimmy from their time here before, because he’s a graduate from Lakewood,” Slone said.
At the time, Coach Jimmy worked as a UFC trainer in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite his busy schedule, he created instructional programs for the basketball and baseball teams and even visited the weight room.
“In between my time in Las Vegas and Greater Cleveland, I would pop into the weight room, probably two, three times a month when I could.” Coach Jimmy said.
Soon, other coaches started reaching out to Coach Jimmy. From soccer to track, everyone wanted to replace their old lifting techniques with his expertise.
“I was able to identify pretty quickly that there was a need here and a want,” Coach Jimmy said.
This new opportunity led Coach Jimmy to question what this career shift would mean for him. Already established in a successful career, he wondered, what would it take to pursue this opportunity?
“What is it gonna have to look like if I’m gonna do this full time?” Coach Jimmy asked himself. “I left the UFC, I started my own business, you know, made it more official.”
Moving forward, Coach Jimmy competed with another weight training company for the job. “It essentially came down between me and a sports performance company that had started my junior year of high school.” Despite initial doubts about securing the position, Coach Jimmy eventually won out. “I think the work I had put in with the teams I was working with spoke for itself.”
Coach Jimmy’s hard work proved his ability to train young athletes and helped him surpass his competition. He is a valuable addition to Lakewood athletics, bringing values beyond preparing students for the next few years.
“You should be training in a strength capacity, in a weight room setting for the rest of your life.” Coach Jimmy said.
Beyond high school and college sports, it’s vital that students understand the basics of maintaining health. Coach Jimmy’s main priority for lifting is promoting a level of fitness that allows athletes to play the sports they love. Lakewood’s new weight-lifting program encourages students to stay healthy and motivates them to compete.
“Just getting that culture of being cool, to be in the weight room and work out, get bigger and stronger, compete in there, will help you compete out here,” Slone said.
For Lakewood to improve its athletics, it starts with the basics. Everything goes back to an advanced weight-lifting program dedicated to helping athletes become stronger and faster.
Before Coach Jimmy came on board, coaches didn’t emphasize lifting as much. Coach Kocur, a girls basketball and boys baseball coach, has seen the effects of Coach Jimmy’s training firsthand.
“His specialty is making athletes stronger, better, [less injury prone],” Coach Kocur said. “We got to coach from the sports standpoint, he gets to do the weight room standpoint.”
Coach Kocur has already observed the immediate effects of Lakewood’s new weight-lifting program. Baseball players, the first athletes to train with Coach Jimmy, show marked improvement. “You know who plays baseball? They’re the biggest, strongest, fastest guys we have in the school,” Coach Kocur said.
What we’ve seen so far only scratches the surface of Lakewood’s potential. Slone hopes that “People are going to look back and say this was a huge turning point for when Lakewood athletics went from being competitive to very good.”
With the integration of Coach Jimmy and his advanced weight training program, Lakewood athletics has a bright future ahead.
