Sports is about so much more than the final result: a team record, a championship trophy, an undefeated season. These are the things we remember, the statistics that show up in the archives, the shining moments of victory. Behind this magnificent facade lies the truth about athletic competition: it is tough and takes dedication. No team or individual can make a deep postseason run without preparation. In the words of the great John Wooden, “How you run the race–your planning, preparation, practice, and performance–counts for everything. Winning or losing is a by-product, and after-effect, of that effort.” It is all about preparation, much of which takes place behind the scenes, going unnoticed, unappreciated.
One of the few places where evidence of this hard work exists is in Academy’s weight room, perhaps the most important tool for any athlete. The average sport season will last roughly 3 months, depending on the length of its postseason. So what are our athletes left to do for the other 9 months out of the year? Steadfast players use the weight room, training, preparing, and anticipating for next year already. It’s often the off-season work an athlete does that makes or breaks his or her season.
Academy’s weight room has a fair amount of traffic all through the year, and there is always one off-season group in there working right alongside the in-season athletes. On average, about 100 people use the weight room weekly, 2-3 times each week (even in the summer!), which is a just under a third of the Upper School. That’s definitely a great indicator of the level commitment many of our athletes have, even when they’re not in season. State championship runs are not exactly annual rituals at many schools.
The weight room’s success is based upon its supervision and its inventory, and in both categories Academy excels. Coaches Hammond and Inglis are particular in their emphases on proper technique and exercises, and they have never had a major injury occur in the weight room under their watchful eyes. Academy’s weight room is also extensively supplied with state of the art gear, including stability balls, resistance bands, jump ropes, and about 8,000 pounds of weights! All the pieces are there for the makings of championship caliber teams. For athletes, a weight room they can rely upon is an indispensable asset because they understand they don’t win on game day unless they’ve put a critical amount of effort in the weight room.
Written by Andy Li’13. Photos by Jeremy Schroeder’14 and Elliot Nick’14.
