Weight room returns to normal hours

Photo+by+Tanner+Krueger

Photo by Tanner Krueger

by Devon Wood, Staff Writer

The hours of the lower weight room changed in November to limit access to athletes during specific times, but the hours have changed again to allow athletes and non-athletes to use the area from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Last semester, athletes could use the lower weight room only in the presence of a coach or the strength and conditioning staff, The Simpsonian previously reported.

Students saw this as a ban of non-athletes but the changes were made to solve some problems, such as items being stolen from the lower weight room, funding for working studies.

The athletic department has reevaluated the hours and opened the weight room back up to all students.

“As there has been a recent change in staffing and work study funds are stable, the Athletic Department wishes to notify the general campus community about hours in the lower weight room,” Athletic Director Bob Nutgrass said in a campus-wide email.

Craig Konrardy was hired this semester as the new strength and conditioning coach and weight room supervisor.

“When I started in January there was what people referred to as a ban on non-athletes using the weight room from 2 to 6 p.m. We opened that back up because not every team was lifting in that time block,” Konrardy said.

He has since implemented a schedule to show when the space is reserved for teams posted on the door. This is helpful for students so they can plan their lifting for the week.

Other changes being made include a sign out sheet for the supply closet so students can check out a piece of equipment and sign it back in when they are finished.

Konrardy said this makes the equipment room more organized and efficient so that things are not going missing without a record of who to contact or being left in a dorm room on accident.

Junior Jessie McElderry, a former student-athlete, said that she uses the weight room about 3 times a week. She was happy to see the change because it was difficult to workout last semester with the adjust schedule.

“It was inconvenient when I wanted to lift before when I had free time and I had to wait. I would probably have to find another gym if I couldn’t lift in the racks,” McElderry said. “Now that there is a set schedule I know when athletes will be there and I can work around it.”

McEderry said she doesn’t often ask for help from the coaches in the weight room, especially being a non-student-athlete.

“I don’t utilize them because I don’t feel like they are paid to help me,” she said.  

Konrardy has an answer to that issue, “I am here either in my office or lifting and my door is always open. I want everyone to get the most out of this and feel like they are benefiting. Also with the trend in the U.S. and the world with everyone wanting to be healthy and fit we don’t want to limit that opportunity.”

Konrardy has been more active on the weight room social media pages sharing helpful tips and information for students.

He is looking into adding record boards to help motivate and add friendly competition to the weight room. He also is looking for a digital system for lifting programs to decrease printing of individual workouts to help save on paper.