Eager and energetic Mustangs filled the Iola High School weight room Wednesday morning as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Although first day practice is nearly two months away, athletes started lifting at dawn with hopes of deep postseason runs once the sun sets on their fall sports campaigns.
“It’s exciting. This is my first time running the summer weights program, but I’ve been coaching for a long time,” said IHS coach Luke Bycroft, who has taken over the strength and condition program following former coach Beau Foster’s departure for a position with the Ottawa School District.
“It’s good that I have a relationship with them, but they’re also learning how I do things. We have a lot of variety, and it’s been a good start. We’ve had great attendance and the kids are working hard,” Bycroft said.
One athlete hoping to put in the work this summer is junior Colton Thompson. Thompson was a regular contributor at the varsity level in basketball while coming off the bench last season. He hopes building more muscle mass will lead to more playing time on the football team when they take the field for the first time against Wellsville in September.
“I just want to put on some more weight, so I can have a good season,” Thompson said. “Once basketball comes around, hopefully all of the leg days will help me jump higher and have better all-around attributes. Everybody is going in here to try and get better.”
For senior Brooklyn Holloway, lifting may help increase her performance when she competes for the Mustang golf team. Holloway was one of only three upperclassmen competing on a team that finished in the middle of the Pioneer League pack.
“It’s been rough, but we’ve been working hard, and I always feel good afterward,” Holloway said. “I’m just trying to get quicker and use my full body and not just my arms. I want to use my arms, my legs, and my core to react quicker. I want to put more work in, and I’ve felt pretty good these past two weeks.”
Holloway said she was excited to see several past and future teammates making the effort. With every team looking to pivot off success last season, she said the weight room has been buzzing with energy she hopes will carryover into the fall.
“When the weight room is packed, it feels good,” Holloway said. “Everybody is lifting. They’re loud. They’re cheering and clapping for you. It just feels good.”
For Bycroft, the Mustangs are only scratching the surface of what is ahead this summer. After spending the first week gauging their max lifts, he hopes to increase the difficulty in the coming weeks.
“This week, we’re getting into weight testing to see where we’re at strength-wise,” Bycroft said. “We’re trying some new things they may have not done before. We’re doing things a different way, and they’ve been really open to those changes.”
