Strength Coach Louden Seekins kicked off the Strength and Conditioning program at Hockinson High School in January with the goal of helping participants build muscle and speed to reduce injuries. Students participating in training sessions are already making incredible progress toward their strength goals.
The program is open to all HHS students and HMS eighth graders, the program welcomes anyone ready to grow in strength, speed, and confidence. Student-athletes from football, track, wrestling, softball, and basketball have been filling the gym four days a week. About 12 students attend each session, and interest in the program is only growing; last week, 36 athletes were training at once! The excitement has extended beyond HHS Athletics, with several 8th-grade gid the 8th-grade athletes attending regularly and making tremendous progress.
Seekins runs the program with the structure and expectations of a collegiate strength and conditioning program. “The athletes are working extremely hard during these sessions; there is a level of intensity and urgency that I don’t think you’ll find in many other high school weight rooms,” Seekins explained.
For instance, 8th-grade athlete Tristan Poe attends several sessions each week and has increased his deadlift maximum from 205 lbs to 350 lbs in 8 weeks - a weight increase of over 170%! Distance athlete Greysen Aldridge is lifting weights consistently for the first time and says she has already experienced less knee pain along with significant gains in upper- and lower-body strength. Erdalbeck Mailov, who plays Footgall, has been putting in reps in the weight room and improving his mobility by overcoming tight hips and motion issues. Likewise, student-athlete Austin Dudley, a regular program participant, has increased his deadlift maximum by 35 lbs and reports improved sleep quality and a sense of being better prepared for the football season. Rowan Matson recently deadlifted 315 lb and can now perform over 10 strict-form pull-ups. Most program participants can now jump onto a 36-inch box from a seated position - an impressive performance mark - and a handful can reach a 40-inch box.
Seekins is very proud of his students’ work ethic and looks forward to seeing his athletes continue to reach new highs in performance and resilience. “I’m confident that our community will see a physical and mental transformation in our athletes come this fall after we have completed our summer training,” Seekins said.
Currently, Seekins holds 3 one-hour weight-training sessions on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, beginning at 4:30 pm. On Wednesday, he offers two one-hour jump training and conditioning sessions beginning at 4:30 pm.
We look forward to seeing what milestones Strength and Conditioning participants reach next!