by Sarah Baloucoune and D’Zyiah Moore

Training is essential for athletes who wish to progress in their sport, but also for people who want to be in good shape and live long. With that said, the JHS weight room plays a key role in making any Jeffersonville high schooler improve their abilities with the help of the coaching staff.

Coach Danny Struck is a professional in weightlifting and wrestling. He dedicated his life to sports and helping people reach their full potential while training. His students from all grades play different sports, from volleyball to wrestling, and even bowling and track. Everyone could use a bit of help from the weight room, he said.

The National Institute of Health shows how the use of weight rooms can improve strength and dexterity, making it good for anyone.   

The weight room, renovated 15 years ago by Struck, is a refuge for students hungry for power and training. The funds and donations raised by the wrestling coach helped him turn it into a multifunctional room in which students can practice weightlifting, speed training, and yoga on a daily basis.        

With that being said, the weight room is a source of help and support for physical, mental, and psychological health, as it makes student-athletes push their limits and unwind from the stresses of the day, while also staying active and focusing on their health. It is good for injury prevention and power training, which is an aid when living an active life.                      

According to Struck, the room isn’t only beneficial for athletes, but for anyone, as it helps anyone in everyday life, such as running, lifting objects like groceries, walking a long time without getting tired, and keeping a clean and fresh mind. 

Struck said the weight room is open to all students, as long as they respect the materials and other people using it with them. He added that he wants the weight room to be more inclusive by opening it to more female students. 

Accessing the weight room is easy – students just need to be a student of Coach Struck’s classes or be in one of the school sports teams with a coach who uses the weight room as training. 

More than a class, the weight room is like a second family that helps each other and wants to see each person improve and become a better version of themselves. 

There you have brothers, sisters, friends and allies as  “the best part of the weight room is supporting each other,” according to senior Mekhi Cooper, a member of the wrestling and tennis teams. 

It’s also a “non-judgmental group with nice people,” according to senior Emily Bailey, a member of the bowling team. 

Students who are interested in using the weight room should talk to their counselor, as Coach Struck is always open to new members.