Fourteen years ago, in 2010, Coach Jimmy Gajewski graduated from Lakewood High School as a notable student-athlete. He pursued his passion for sports performance and, just six months ago, returned to Lakewood as the new strength and conditioning coach.
During these 14 years, Lakewood High School has changed significantly. From new teachers to building renovations, Lakewood has made some serious improvements. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the weight room’s squat racks.
Despite his time away, Coach Jimmy found much of the same equipment as the last time he was in the weight room. This overuse of equipment is a huge problem.
“First and foremost, this equipment has been used beyond its reasonable life,” Coach Jimmy said.
Our Athletic Director, Rob Slone, added his perspective on the matter.
“When I coached here in 2000, the same weights that were used for me are still in the weight room now,” Slone said.
The current equipment is in less-than-ideal condition, having dramatically exceeded its lifespan. Ariana Hueter, a two-sport varsity athlete, has experienced the risks firsthand.
“A lot of the dumbbells aren’t as heavy because the piecing around the dumbbell fell off, so one side is heavier than the other,” Hueter said. “A lot of the [resistance bands] break on people, and it seems like it’s not a good idea to have bands that could break.”
Not only is the equipment outdated, but so is the layout. Right now, the squat racks block the entire north side of the weight room. This setup makes it difficult for Coach Jimmy to observe the whole facility, creating safety concerns.
“We need to be able to create a layout so that one coach can see all things that are happening at one time in that facility,” Slone said. “[Right now], if we have kids working in the back they’re not in a safe environment.”
A strategic layout would improve more than just safety; it could also increase the number of teams able to use the space.
“By the way this [new design] is laid out, team one enters at 3:15,” Coach Jimmy said. “They do their warm-up on the north wall. Then, they flow down the east wall and exercise here [in the front]. Team two, instead of entering at 4:15 they’ll enter at 4:00, and warm up here [on the north wall] while team one is finishing. Team one will file out, and team two will come in. If we have a 15-minute overlap every session for the four hours after school, we actually create an extra hour in the schedule.”
A well-thought-out design will make the weight room accessible to all of Lakewood’s athletes. Currently, 23 out of the school’s 29 sports teams use the space. Coach Jimmy hopes to incorporate all of Lakewood’s teams with the help of this new, efficient layout.
In preparation for this renovation, Coach Jimmy hopes to salvage all usable equipment and sell or discard damaged materials. To replace all of this equipment, Coach Jimmy hopes for renovations to start as soon as possible.
“I’m trying to get it done as fast as possible with the most amount of equipment,” Coach Jimmy said.
Mr. Slone described how this process could take place:
“All the equipment gets brought in over the summer, and we’ll have, maybe, a one-week shutdown where we have to take all the old stuff out and put all the new stuff in.”
“[The renovation] will take no more than a couple of weeks to a month,” Coach Jimmy said. “The big thing we have to do is get the current equipment out, and install turf on the north side wall.”
While the weight room is temporarily unavailable, both coaches agree on alternative training methods. Body-weight exercises and sprinting will replace current practices until the renovations are complete.
Implementing a re-designed weight room will truly enrich Lakewood’s athletic program. From keeping our athletes safe to maximizing the number of teams that can utilize the space, it would be a turning point for Lakewood sports. Coach Jimmy hopes to create a space where athletes are proud to push themselves and improve.
“You should be living in the weight room, 365 days a year,” Coach Jimmy said. “Whether it’s in season, off-season, making a playoff push, return to play protocols, working on physical therapy or rehabilitative exercises. There is no reason that this place shouldn’t reach every single student that participates in Lakewood athletics.”
He hopes to create a space that meets these demands and continues to forge exceptional athletes.
Help support these renovations by donating today! Check out the Lakewood Athletic Boosters website to make a contribution! https://www.lakewoodathleticboosters.com/
