Davis High weightlifting team non existent despite growing gym popularity

PHOTO: Kyan Larsen working out in the Davis High strength and conditioning room.

By Alex Miyamoto,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

As junior Kyan Larsen arrives at Davis High, he is overwhelmingly excited. He anticipates a refreshing workout in his first period strength and conditioning class. 

“I really enjoy (weightlifting) … it’s a fun way to get back into shape,” Larsen said.

Currently, DHS offers strength and conditioning classes that have grown in popularity over the years. Dan Ariola has been at DHS for over 30 years and teaches two out of the six of these classes.

Over the six classes, there are approximately 150 students that are enrolled. “It’s great that we have so much enrollment, students love to lift,” Ariola said.

Students that are enrolled in the class workout in the weight room four times a week for approximately one hour.

According to CDC Healthy Schools, adolescents ages 6-17 should participate in, “60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily.”

Larsen has strength and conditioning first period and enjoys the inclusive environment of the weight room. Although the school does not have a weightlifting team, Larsen expressed possible interest if there was one. ”A team would be good to have, it’d give students a better workout schedule,” Larsen said.

The weight room is used frequently throughout the day by various sports teams and classes.

Ariola has seen the transformation of the weight room at DHS and over the course of 30 years he has never heard the possibility of opening a weightlifting team. Currently, weightlifting is not a sanctioned California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) sport, making it ineligible to be a DHS team sport.

Athletic director Jeff Lorenson has been with DHS for eight years and expressed that no one has ever brought up a possible weightlifting team. If a team was established, “it (would) provide students with another avenue to make a positive connection to the school … I always support new ideas that could provide a positive impact to our students,” Lorenson said.

Senior Alexia Asuncion is also enrolled in first period strength and conditioning and enjoys the, “hype of trying to get up as much weight as you can,” Asucion said. 

Despite the enjoyment lifting brings to her, she would no consider joining a team, “I think it would be fun and interesting for other students, but it’s not for me,” Asuncion said.

Although the possibility of establishing a weightlifting team is low, Ariola recalls previous students inquiring about opening the weight room during lunch. “If students wanted to get into weightlifting, opening a weightlifting club would be the best thing to shoot for,” Ariola said.