WOODBURY – As Nonnewaug athletics continue to improve, the weight room is getting much more use, and by a variety of students, too. From non-athletes, to off-season athletes, even to entire sports teams, the weight room is constantly being utilized.
The Nonnewaug weight room was built in 2020, just six years ago. Since then, many opportunities have opened up which has increased use and it is clear for Nonnewaug Athletic director and trainer, Sean McGee.
“Ever since we really started opening up summer and after school conditioning, the amount of usage this weight room has been getting is more and more each year,” McGee said. “There’s a handful of kids now that are really getting addicted to weight lifting, which is great. They’re also getting addicted to being a better athlete and performing better, which starts in the weight room.”
The Nonnewaug Track and Field team is a frequent sight in the weight room because of its many benefits.
“Lifting can help prevent injury,” said Nonnewaug Track and Field Coach, Danielle Carroccio. “It is also good for our runners because they can build their muscles for strength and explosiveness.”
As more people come to this realization, the weight room is getting packed. Additionally, competition for the space has increased as the weight lifting club uses the space, a club overseen by NHS faculty members Martin Malaspina and Kelly Nichols. It’s also a common occurrence to see NHS faculty members utilizing the gym after classes.
With this increase in use, comes a serious lack of equipment. Sports teams and students alike are cramming into the weight room, causing the variety of dumbbells to rapidly decrease.
“The amount of dumbbells doesn’t really fit the amount of people that usually go in there,” said Emma Pratt, a Nonnewaug Track and Field member. “There are maybe three sets of 10 and 15 pound dumbbells and a lot of people use those, but there’s usually not enough for everyone. People have to wait and take turns.”
Collin Humowitz, a freshman at Nonnewaug, has also noted this.
“Everyone is trying to do the same thing and there’s not enough room for everyone to be doing it,” Humowitz said. “I think it really takes away from our ability to get stuff done.”
So all this begs the questions, will the weight room be updated?
“What I want to do this summer is get some more equipment in there,” said McGee. “As for expanding the weight room, if there’s a possibility, we would love to expand the weight room, but we’re just kind of limited on space. We’re trying to figure out other avenues where it’s cost effective and won’t burn a hole in our pocket, especially with our athletics budget.”
