The Athletics Department plans to extend gym hours next year, and although the specific hours have not yet been finalized, athletic administrators have committed to implementing the change. They plan to determine the details over the summer.
This issue has been at the center of conversations among student athletes, many of whom have highlighted how poorly it fits into their busy routines. On weekdays, the gym typically opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 6:00 p.m. while it operates from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends. Unable to work out before school, students have to fit in workouts after practices with much difficulty as these students' classes usually end around 5:30 p.m.
Out of 69 students polled, 94% of students said that they would be willing to sign a petition supporting extended hours. Most students expressed interest in opening the gym one or two hours before school and keeping it open later after practices, but preferred times varied. Other students also wanted later hours on Fridays and weekends.
Discussing the challenge of balancing athletics and gym access, Lydia McLean ’27 emphasized that “as an athlete looking to play at a high level, [she] needs to have consistent lifts to build muscle and maintain [her] athleticism.” McLean added, “If [she wants] to do this [training] and still play sports while also getting to Forbes before it closes,” [she needs] morning gym access. The current schedule simply does not leave enough time for them to work out even when they need to train for their sport.
Tatum Lee ’29 echoed McLean when he stressed that gyms should accommodate “everyone who wants to work out,” including those who need extended hours to fit exercise into their schedule or are shy of crowds.
The crowded conditions of the gym—where entire teams or the strength training group (Darlings) work out at the same time and thereby create stressful situations that discourage others from exercising—can intimidate new gym-goers. Caroline Cuff ’28, for example, reflected that “the lack of space constricts [her] exercise both mentally and physically." Extended hours would create reduced crowds and thus allow more students to feel comfortable working out.
As Athletics Department Director Lamar Reddicks mentions, the lack of faculty supervision initially prevented the school from extending gym hours and continues to be a challenge. To overcome this issue, Peter Cohan ’28 suggested that upperclassmen could supervise the gym after completing a pre-requisite test proving their competency in the gym. Under this idea, approved students could supervise morning or evening sessions and thus allow others to use the gym during those hours.
The Athletics Department has yet to determine the exact solution the school will implement next year, but Reddicks said that they will implement the change over the summer and are working on getting “definite times.”
According to Reddicks, these future changes aim to create a more comfortable and accessible environment for students who want to work out and support the well-being and athletic development of Milton students.