Submitted by Claire Smith, Capital High School Intern to Thurston Talk
Christmas has come early at Capital High School as the long awaited weight and cardio rooms, and the new updated locker rooms, are unveiled.
The CHS weight room has long been under construction. Since last spring break, construction has been underway to expand the weight and cardio rooms, along with renovations in the locker rooms. With the promise of completion by mid-summer, nobody minded the little interruptions the drilling would occasionally cause. They were all to excited. The weight room needed an update, and the whole school was ready for the surprise at the beginning of the school year. The new rooms would be flashy, and have the proud logo of the Cougs written all over them.
However, when you open up a wall that hasn’t been touched since 1975, you are bound to get a sack full of surprises. Old plumbing turned out to be a huge problem. It delayed construction to the point that they were still renovating when school started this fall. Despite the delays, it’s really a gift that the school could replace the few bad bits, and now operates with the brand new infrastructure that has been added.
After having to spend all summer in the Marshall Middle School weight room, the new weight room’s opening has been a blessing the whole school has felt. The athletes get to stay on the Capital High School campus, alongside fellow students and their teammates. You can occasionally catch a glimpse of them working out with pride and enthusiasm to be on home turf.
Principal Woods is very excited for the unveiling of the weight room. “We hope students will learn techniques and skills so they can lead a healthy lifestyle.” He also adds, “It’s going to help our students stay fit forever.” His attitude mirrors the rest of the campus’, especially the athletic department. You can feel the excitement every time you get close to the weight room. The students and staff clearly can’t wait to delve into their new gift.
There would be no way CHS would get such a big present without help from the jolly old Booster Club. They have been the driving financial force in the renovation, and have raised substantial funds. The Booster Club never had any doubts that it could be done, not even with the setbacks discovered when the walls were opened up. The Booster Club also paid for most of the new equipment – much of which is cardinal and gold, and even include the CHS distinguishable “C” on them.
The weight and cardio rooms are open for all PE classes, and all Cougar sports. Four periods a day, there are weight classes, along with body shape and tenth through twelfth grade life fitness classes. The rooms are clearly going to be under heavy use now that CHS has received one of it’s biggest gifts in a long time.
Football, basketball and baseball teams vigorously use the weight and cardio rooms and have been in them since the weight room re-opened on the fourth of December. The PE classes will be soon to join them, and all of Capital High School can’t wait to visit the newest source of pride on the Capital Cougar Campus.
