The Forest Hills Central weight room has seen it all. From both boys and girls athletes working to get better every day in the racks to a pandemic, the walls of the room hold countless memories. Through those memories, the numerous sights of wear and tear are noticeable on the equipment and the room itself.

“We’ve had a generous offer from the athletic boosters to help revamp our weight room,” athletic supervisor Johnathon Goei said. “[It’s] kind of a whole revamp and refresh in the room.”

The FHC students have spent innumerable hours in the weight room, but the most brutal beating to the equipment was through the pandemic. All training had to be moved outdoors during the summer of 2020, causing more and more equipment to be moved outside as well. Between the conditions of the summer heat, humidity, and the disinfectant used to prevent COVID, the equipment took a beating. Between weights, bands, medicine balls, and everything in between, every piece of equipment inside the weight room had taken some form of wear and tear at one point during the pandemic summer.

Regardless, the new athletic office staff of supervisor Goei and secretary Kristi Swayze has been revamping a ton of equipment and resources since they arrived early in the school year. From hiring a new summer strength and conditioning staff to maintaining great care of athletic facilities in and around the school, the athletics department has done all it can to keep FHC’s facilities running smoothly and keeping student-athletes happy. 

As the weight room upgrades start to come in, supervisor Goei and the athletics department have a main focus on the community. He hopes these new upgrades will drive more people to be active in sports and in some strength and conditioning courses headed by football coach Tim Rogers. 

“Our goal is to try and build a space that people are proud of,” Goei said. “Our goal is to build a better community and we think that the kids being more excited to go and train together will help build our goal.”

The goals of renovation for the weight room are endless, but the athletics department is starting small. New bars, plates, dumbbells, bands, and more equipment will help student-athletes at FHC train safer and more effectively. In the future, though, supervisor Goei would like to see the weight room get ampler upgrades. From new flooring to weight racks and decals, the room will get a much sleeker look than what it is in the present day.

“We want to make it a pride symbol for the community, and most importantly, the school,” Goei said.

Everyone at FHC is proud of the weight room and the effort the athletics department is putting into it to build up the community. Now, student-athletes can build more memories in the newly-renovated room and those walls can tell stories of new and of old.