BRIEF: Mr. Merlo’s weight training program prepares basketball for a fresh start

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Sophomore varsity basketball player Hunter Schattler puts in work on the bench press.

Ed Grijalva, Staff Writer

Starting last year, math teacher and year-round coach Mr. Nick Merlo started lifting programs for sports that didn’t have them, such as basketball. Athletes from a variety of sports workout on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

“This is the first time the basketball team has been lifting,” sophomore Hunter Schattler said. “We started in March and we definitely saw the results in our summer league, beating teams like Detroit Country Day.”

Mr. Merlo has implemented the lifting program so far in both boys and girls soccer, basketball and track. Each sport has certain areas of focus for their bodies.

“Our lifting focuses on our base strength like core, legs, chest,” Schattler says. “Since school started we’ve worked on explosiveness.”

One of the most important part of any lifting program is to see if it translates onto the field or court.

“Yeah, it has helped me out a lot because before I started I was pretty weak,” Schattler said. “I can now see the improvements in my body and in my strength on the court.”