Huge changes are coming to the DMS weightlifting class.
For the last two years, the weightlifting class has been designed to give student athletes an opportunity to work out during one class period. But next year, the weightlifting will be integrated into PE class with set days for the weight room.
“I think the reason we’re making changes is because nobody worked out,” seventh-grader Matthew Hopson said. “I hate the changes that they’re making because it gets boring in the gym. You don’t know for sure what why we were doing it, but form what I know there just changing on how we do things and how it work. That’s my best guess.”
This semester, the weightlifting classes have moved from the weight room into the gym, where they have been incorporated into the gym classes.
The main reason for the changes are that the middle school and athletics department wants the athletes to be more athleti, better prepared for the rigors of their sports and to be more competitive with other teams.
Coach Kathryn Jeffords, who is also a PE coach at DMS, said one goal from the weightlifting changes is to close the gap with Duncan Middle School and other schools.
“The main reason we’re not in the gym is because they’re not ready,”Jeffords said. “If we add more weight, they’ll end up hurting themselves, and we don’t want our athletes to hurt themselves or get a major injury.
“I believe this will greatly help them if they put the effort in it. But the problem is I don’t think the kids will like it all that much because these kids don’t want to work out.”
Duncan public schools is planning on having all athletes to have a conditioning class in hopes to prepare those athletes for their sports. With many of the coaches wanting athletes in weightlifting, only time will tell if all the athletes will be able to do the work.
