Simpson College likes to offer its students options. This includes the availability of a quality facility for students to maintain physical fitness while challenging their minds in the classroom.

Another such option the college prides iself on is a strong athletics department. With top-notch athletes, numerous conference championships and a host of dedicated coaches, Simpson is consistently a strong competitor in the Iowa Conference.

Yet remaining an athletic contender does not end with recruiting. Being a college athlete is a year long commitment to the sport and to teammates. Dedication to off-season training is critical in building a strong athlete and a strong team.

Meanwhile athletes and non-athletes often must play the waiting game for equipment. By providing quality facilities for athletes and non-athletes alike, Simpson can continue to be attractive to talented student-athletes as well as to those not interested in joining a team. An important part of Simpson’s enrollment future lies in the quality of community athletic facilities.

Updates to the weight room need to be made to meet the demands of exercising students and members of the Simpson Athletic Club. Members of the Iowa Conference are continually striving to better eachother in terms of athletic facilities. While the new turf and track may put Simpson on top outside, the size and scope of the weight room hold Storm athletics back.

Hours in the weight room should not be limited for members of the athletic club because they pay for the facilities just as students do. Rather than limiting hours, the size of the facility itself should be expanded.

Limiting hours that non-students can access Simpson’s facilities has decreased traffic in the weight room at peak hours. However, this new rule is a quick solution to a problem that will not go away without major renovations.