Portage High School will expand strength and conditioning training for athletes during the school day beginning this fall.
“There’s overwhelming evidence validating that physical activity improves brain function, including a profound positive impact on mental health, so while our high school athletes will greatly benefit from this decision, we would eventually like to see all of our students take advantage of what this new program brings,” Principal Mike Stills told the Portage Township School Board on Monday.
Athletic Director Brett St. Germain said strength and conditioning training has been around a while in high school athletics, and other Duneland Conference schools have jumped on the idea of offering it during the school day.
Crown Point High School has more than 700 students taking the course, he said. Others include Chesterton, 550; Valparaiso, 350; Lake Central and Merrillville, 300 each; LaPorte and Michigan City, 200 each. And then there’s Portage, with 29 this semester, St. Germain said.
This is the first year Portage has offered the program during the school day,
“We need to create greater opportunities for our student athletes, and we’ve done so,” St. Germain said.
Strength and conditioning training has been offered after school, but that could mean a student is at the school until 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. during the off-season. Offering it after school benefits athletes, but there are “massive benefits of doing it during the school day,” he said. “We can already see some of the differences.”
Michael Ortega, who finished second in the state in his wrestling class, told the board about his experience.
“I feel like this year was really different,” he said. “I was able to retain most of my muscle, most of my endurance, the whole season.”
St. Germain said the training paid off. “This young man left a massive impression on the people in the stadium” during the state meet, he said.
Another student said, “All of our bodies have just completely changed, from our physique to our endurance.”
A third student noted that students’ schedules have a free period after their freshman year to allow them time to do this training.
“Instead of just sitting in class doing nothing or eating Doritos, being in the weight room, getting in shape and improving yourself physically is probably the best use of that time,” another student said.
Strength and Conditioning Coach Shane Nelson said 412 students have signed up for the class so far, which means about 60 students per period. He hopes to get participation up to the same level as other Duneland Conference schools.
“I want to build the biggest, fastest, strongest athletes we possibly can,” Nelson said.
“These guys come every day, ready to show, and I think it shows,” he said.
Hope Heldt, a softball player, is a good example of what Nelson is seeing in the class. “I can look across the room, and she’s teaching the young girls” how to use the machines, he said.
Cheerleaders, too, are benefiting from the training. They need to be fit to do all they do to cheer on the other athletes, he said.
“Big changes are about to happen,” Nelson said.
Superintendent Amanda Alaniz has a nephew in the program. “It’s been really a great opportunity for us to trying to put our money where our mouth is as far as helping our kids to become in the best physical shape as they possibly can,” she said.
“These kids are tracking their data, checking their progress and they’re seeing the results in more than just the mirror,” Alaniz said.
“We suffered for a long time, and we see where we’re breaking records,” School Board President Andy Maletta said.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
