Forest Hills Central.
A school with a powerhouse of multiple sports with state-champion caliber play, but it all has to start somewhere.
The weight room. I love the weight room, but it is the place I dread most as well. I have been a part of multiple strength and conditioning days over the summer, and each day when we go in, the weight room is hot, muggy, and similar to the feeling of a damp rag on your head with the amount of moisture. You can’t even look in the mirror because it’s so foggy. I have found that other people have these experiences; it is not only me. For football, as freshmen, we have to share the weight room with the junior varsity players. It is over 50 kids with very, and I mean very, limited space.
Even so, it has its benefits. It has modern equipment, fans, and air conditioning (on occasion), and it’s great. I have found that this weight room is different from the rest because it builds a community within itself, making you feel welcome. I understand how some people have some problems with the “drill sergeant” commands, with all the yelling and motivating, but that’s the stuff that makes you better; that’s the stuff that makes you grow. The weight room brings people together in one setting to, in theory, just yell at each other until you lift that weight. Very sad but very motivating.
As far as the quality of equipment, it is very good, with the weights all clean and no visible problems unless you look for them, which you are never going to do because why would you ever review a weight room, right? The benches are very nice, with green for our school color and a good amount of cushion, with no part of the leather falling off like that one old brown leather chair that sits in your grandma’s living room. I also like the aspect of the mirrors, so you can check your form without having the consequence of having to ask someone to watch you like a hawk to tell you. It provides self-confidence in yourself so you can lift to your full potential.
I have also found that the location of the weight room as well is something that can bring someone both satisfaction and dread. When you are walking out of school, you see the weight room, and you remember you have to be in there soon if you are playing a sport.
Finally, the floor. The place where we do push-ups, sit-ups, planks, etc. It hurts, but it is good for standing on. The design is genius for coaches who don’t want their players to sit on the floor, which should be all coaches but still, genius. The black turf makes your elbows black and puts indents in your skin. After brushing yourself off, you can feel the blood rushing back, and it is not a pleasant feeling because it feels like 1,000 little ants all making their way to one central station. The weight room is a place of prosperity which makes everyone and everything around it better.
I find the weight room to be a great place with many benefits that show why FHC is so successful in athletic events. I am very excited to succeed in the weight room as well.
