After discovering the school would be building a new weight room, I was disappointed. I felt that Park needed to focus its spending on necessities such as renovations on bathrooms and arts programs, but after stepping into the new weight room, my mind was changed. 

The facility is much bigger and is now able to cater to more athletes while using more efficient equipment. Every station has all the tools you need to succeed in strengthening your body. However, while the equipment is nice, the turf in the center of the room is definitely the eye catcher.

This addition was a really unique and beneficial for athletes who practice on turf like football, soccer and lacrosse players. This aspect simulates what playing on an actual field will be like. 

Looking back at my experience in the old weight room, I now realize this change was necessary. The old space was outdated and small, and the equipment did not meet all the needs of athletes. I remember feeling cramped even when there were only a few people in the room.

After school, I would always see most of the students practicing outside of the room because it could not hold all of them inside. The new space is large and has the capacity to hold more than one team at a time, so this will significantly improve the overall sports teams at Park. 

The newly renovated weight room is not only more efficient, it’s also aesthetically pleasing. The room is completely organized by stations and the colors and big windows bring in more sunlight and give an uplifting mood to the room, which is motivating. 

After my first workout, I found that my favorite part of the room are the stations that strength trainer Jessica Gust made for my team. We are all divided into a group of eight and worked out near each other. This makes our team feel closer in such a big space. 

Overall, this space was needed and will tremendously improve the way teams perform. The new weight room has exceeded my expectations and I look forward to using it more often over the spring.