Fall is the perfect time to get a jump-start on training to for spring sports or personal fitness goals. Many Providence Academy students are making use of campus facilities in order to get ready for their upcoming athletic competitions. While the bitter-cold Minnesota winter can pose a tough challenge to aspiring sportsmen and women, PA student-athletes have many opportunities to improve their skills in the off-season. One of these is the dome.
Many athletes find their winter training constrained by smaller indoor spaces, but the dome gives student athletes room to train in ways that would otherwise be impossible. Sam Lograine ‘19 explained, “The dome is really nice. It gives my friends and me a chance to train for baseball in a space that lets us throw farther to strengthen our arms.” Fellow baseball player Sam Ferreira ‘19 notes that the dome “is an integral part of our season. Captain’s Practice takes place in the dome, and it allows us to start our season on time instead of waiting for the snow to melt. This gives us a big advantage”.
Another facility open to PA students is the weight room. Instead of having to go to LifeTime or another expensive gym, this allows Providence athletes to get stronger right here on campus. The weight room is free to use for all PA students, and Dylan Servais ‘19, a regular, loves it: “The Providence weight room is a great opportunity for me, and any other student wanting to get in the perfect shape for their sport because it is very accessible to anyone wanting to train.” Fran Benson ‘20 used the weight room to recover from a foot injury, remarking that “it really allowed me to get back to my peak performance level, even though I couldn’t practice”.
Even so, some PA students chose to go elsewhere with their training needs. Riley Schroeder ‘19 finds the PA options slim and
stated, “I think lifetime a lot better because it has a lot more exercise equipment that I can use.” This is a common complaint when it comes to the weight room on campus, as it is located in a relatively small room when compared to the expansive spaces of professional gyms.
Between the on-campus offerings and off-campus options, as the weather gets colder you’ll find more and more PA student-athletes staying on top of their game this off-season.