The weight room can be considered as one of the most important parts of building athletic careers at any level. Lifting weights helps athletes build a strong physique while also improving their character. The Mater Dei Athletic Department recognizes this and has state-of-the-art equipment for its athletes. The program also offers trainers to help their athletes succeed. There are currently three trainers that work with the various teams. These trainers are dedicated to their role and only want the best out of the athletes.
The weight room at Mater Dei consists of twenty workout stations. Some of these include a squat and bench press bar, stationed Total Resistance Exercises (TRX) rows, as well as a pullup bar with a tricep and bicep grip. There are other workouts that can be done throughout the room such as deadlifts, box jumps, core machines, abb wheels, medicine balls, bands, and free weights such as dumbbells and kettlebells. Access to these facilities is available to all athletes enrolled in an athletic block.
Freshman Matthew Aubol had never been to a weight room prior to joining Mater Dei Athletics and appreciates how the school has given him the magnificent opportunity to be able to start his weight room journey.
“I have gotten a lot stronger, and I think it will be very beneficial during a game,” Aubol said.
Aubol has become more driven in his efforts to become a better player both physically and mentally. He thanks his coach for giving him that drive to push on further and keeping a strong mentality even when the training becomes too hard.
“ I really like Coach Regan and the drive that she gives us when working out,” Aubol said.
Aubol especially appreciates the cleanliness of the weight room and enjoys practicing there. Aubol anticipates that when his soccer games come, that his weight training will help him on the field.
“Coach Regan has us do a lot of legs and goblet squats which has made us run faster and build more muscle, and bench press, all of that,” Aubol said. “It has been really beneficial to my strength and has made me healthier.”
Freshman Michael Ramos believes that the incorporation of weight training will enhance his performance. Being influenced by the same weight training coach, Coach Regan, he believes that the exercises that she has them doing are incredible, saying that these workouts will help him endure games better.
Common exercises that occur in the weight room consist of the bench press, squats, lunges, other leg exercises, and shoulder exercises. Ramos believes this is one of the most fundamental parts for reducing fatigue and keeping peak stamina within games.
“[The weight room training is] helping us get more fit, so I will be able to stay in the game longer and not get fatigued,” Ramos said.
Regan Appleby, a strength and conditioning coach at Mater Dei, chose this career path due to her passion for athletics and the desire to help athletes improve their performance. Appleby has a very full schedule coaching 8-10 teams that include both boys and girls soccer, lacrosse, water polo, track and field, softball, and baseball. Some exercises are specifically tailored to different sports, but the general approach that is taken for all sports is to find core exercises that will benefit your sport and the whole body.
“We’re always looking at what exercise is going to benefit your sport the best, but every athlete has a pretty similar program in terms of training,” Appleby said.
These exercises are crucial for the success of Mater Dei athletes, not only for their strength, but also to prevent injuries that occur in these many sports. At Mater Dei High School, the athletes and trainers work their hardest and make sure that they are in top condition for game day, by constantly training and staying sharp. You need more than just skill, you have to be strong, fast, and maintain endurance during competition.
