Article by Phoenix writer Olivia Rinaldi ’23:
6:30 AM. While the sun has not risen yet, dedicated Firebirds spend their early mornings in Kellenberg’s weight room, looking to benefit their bodies and enhance their overall athletic performances.
Welcoming an average of 15 students each morning, the weight room, located in St. Sebastian Hall, offers a wide variety of exercises for eager students to utilize including HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts, cross fit, and speed and agility. The program followed is divided into a three-day rotation called splits, centered around bodybuilding.
Mr. Alfalla, a physical education and health teacher, is present in the weight room every morning, ministering to the athletes and their workouts. After stepping down from coaching baseball, Mr. Alfalla was looking to make a difference in the lives of Kellenberg’s students and athletes.
“I asked myself ‘As a coach, how do I get kids into the weight room?’”
Coach Alfalla notes that the schedule mimics a college-style program with morning lifts and afternoon practices that give athletes enough time to recover and replenish their bodies throughout the day.
When asked what he would like to see going forth, Mr. Alfalla shared his desire to have more students present at morning workouts, including female athletes and Latin Schoolers.
He urged, “If you want to start, but don’t know how, then ‘just show up!’”
The lessons taught in St. Sebastian Hall transcend lifting weights and extends to the discipline and determination that is necessary to carry throughout life. Mr. Alfalla reflected on the inspiring story of an early 2000s alum who took what he learned in the weight room and thrust it toward his battle with cancer. The young man told Mr. Alfalla the valuable things he took from his days lifting weights at Kellenberg assisted him in becoming determined to overcome his disease. “And I just thought to myself ‘Wow, that is just really profound. That he felt what he learned here helped him beat it,’” says Mr. Alfalla.
Senior, Nori Henry, is a captain of the Varsity Wrestling team and a familiar face in the weight room. Nori is the epitome of a highly motivated athlete who has watched the strength and conditioning program grow with his constant presence.
“That kid has got a great attitude,” Coach Alfalla says with wonder. “He rubs off on some of the other kids up there and it shows.”
Nori has enjoyed watching many of his peers hit major PRs (personal records) and benefit from the time put into working hard in the weight room. Nori has significantly improved his own strength, hitting a considerable PR of a 525 lbs deadlift after starting out at around 315 lbs. When asked about beginning the habit of getting into the weight room, Nori says, “One way people can get into the habit of utilizing the weight room is having a desire to get stronger and faster. Without motivation, nothing will be achieved.”
Once a month, athletes are tested on their squats and deadlifts as a benchmark and to acknowledge improvements. On those days, there is an enormous amount of support and encouragement from all. Constant motivation mixed with a defined group of diligent students has made this program like another team, a family. The program is constantly welcoming new faces who are interested in starting a new journey for themselves.
Athlete or not, anyone and everyone is welcomed and encouraged to join–as KMHS is “One Heart and One Mind” we can also be One Body.