LRHS launches summer weight training program

Lind-Ritzville High School athletic director Greg Whitmore wants to help his athletes build strength over the summer, and he hopes it leads to more competitive teams at the school and less injuries during the 2019-20 school year.

Citing an observation of less athletes making use of the weightroom in recent years, Whitmore has announced plans for a summer weight training program with personal trainers from Spokane's PTA Performance.

Whitmore, who also coaches the high school football team, said the Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos athletic teams have not been sending as many athletes and teams to state as it has in the past. He thinks conditioning plays a role in that.

"Our most successful teams are not only talented, but they are also strong," Whitmore said. "They build up their bodies and they stay injury free.

This is especially important in a city like Ritzville.

"In a small school, if you lose one or two kids due to injury it really affects your team and team chemistry," Whitmore said. "It's really important that we keep kids healthy."

Whitmore also stressed the personal benefit to the students of preventing injuries.

"Number one, we want them to have a good experience," Whitmore said. "We don't want them to leave with any kind of injury that they will be feeling for the rest of their lives."

Whitmore said the need for the new program arose from less students making use of the weight room over the summer.

"Over the years we have had a real decline in attendance in our weightroom," Whitmore said. "I get it. Our program is a little different ... we have schools 45 miles away ... It's difficult for the parents to get (their kids) here for a Monday 6 a.m. weight program."

Whitmore says improvement will take the commitment of the students and their parents.

"Weight training is hard work," Whitmore said. "Especially when you are scheduling 6 a.m. sessions. I get it, it's not easy. I made sure to grab my kids out of bed. I coached my boys and I also brought my daughter in. My kids didn't love weight training. They didn't love getting up at 6 a.m. They didn't love getting out of bed early in the summer and coming in... So again, I get it."

Whitmore says he hopes bringing in the trainers from Spokane will boost some students' excitement level. While the guest trainers from PTA will be overseeing the training, coaches will be on hand as well to observe.

"With the declining attendance, I finally said I am going to stop banging my head against the wall expecting kids to show up by doing the same thing. We have to try something different. These private trainers and private clinics up in Spokane are becoming a big thing. We've had some kids go up there and get some private sessions ... It's kind of the cool thing to do, but its effective as well. It's getting kids up there and they are seeing results. So I thought, 'Let's take this opportunity to get these people out here.'"

The program starts July 8 and runs for six weeks. Sessions are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8-9:15 a.m. The 18-session program costs $180 per student and is open to all student athletes in grades 7-12. Registration forms can be found online by logging on to lrschools.org, selecting the high school, clicking "athletics," then "summer camps" and choosing "PTA Strength Camps."

Forms, along with payment, can be returned to the Ritzville District office, or onsite at the first session.