OSKALOOSA, Iowa – Oskaloosa High School students entered a completely transformed strength and conditioning room this week. The new space features updated equipment, enhanced safety features, and a fresh energy that students and coaches say will have a powerful impact on performance, motivation, and culture.
Strength and conditioning coach Brett Doud said the work on the renovation began more than two years ago, with an idea on how the district could reimagine the space. The project grew from early concept drawings and quotes to a full design-build with Power Lift, one of the nation’s top athletic equipment manufacturers. Installation followed months of planning around floor design, color schemes, equipment layout, and safety priorities.
Today, the finished room includes 12 matching power racks, replacing aging and mismatched sets that offered less consistency and less functional training space. “We gained inlaid platforms, which gives us so much more space,” Doud said. “Safety is a big concern there. We have so much more space for athletes to work out now.”
The room features new benches and updated bumper plates, replacing old steel weights that had been in use for more than 20 years. Each bumper and barbell is custom labeled with Oskaloosa identity and branding. The room also includes a new three-way pulley machine, new boxes, new bars, and new flooring that supports the safety and longevity of the equipment. Doud said every piece of equipment in the room is now modern, reliable, and intentionally designed.
The upgrades were not only a response to aging equipment, but also a reflection of where Oskaloosa is moving as a district. “A big focus within our school district is improving culture,” Doud said. “Part of improving culture is changing the aesthetics and just the excitement.” He said the reaction from the first two student groups was immediate. Students commented that the environment feels different and elevates the experience of walking into a training space.
Students are already noticing the impact. Freshman Brooke Boertje said the room looks cleaner, larger, and safer. She participates in volleyball, and wrestling cheer, she said the new space will raise her motivation and confidence. “It looks much more spacious,” she said. “It will make me actually want to lift because it looks better and the equipment is nicer. It looks way safer, actually.”
Cross country runner Micah Van Ee agreed. He said the difference is noticeable the moment you step inside. “Very modern looking,” he said. He described the room as cleaner and more uniform and said it smells fresh because of the new flooring and equipment. He said he is more likely to use it consistently now because the space is easier to navigate and the equipment feels simpler and more accessible.
For Doud, the renovation represents more than new training tools. Strength and conditioning play an important role across all school activities. He emphasized that training can impact every student, regardless of whether they are a competitive athlete or simply someone who wants to build healthy habits and personal discipline. “Whether you’re an athlete playing three or four sports a year, or you play zero sports and just want to train, it’s good to create those healthy habits and create that aspect of discipline in your life,” he said.
The district wanted to ensure the investment supported safety, development, high-quality instruction, and student confidence. Removing floor platforms eliminated tripping hazards and expanded floor space. New pulleys eliminated maintenance problems and downtime. Every functional element was designed to help students train without obstacles or outdated equipment.
Doud said the effort would not have been possible without support from major donors and district leadership who believed in what the room could become. The $170,000 modernization project has received major funding from the George Daily Family Trust ($55,000), Cargill Cares ($20,000), the Oskaloosa Booster Club ($15,000), and the Mahaska County Community Foundation ($7,500), reflecting a strong shared investment in student health, safety, and success.
He also credited the Oskaloosa Schools leadership team “Our administration is visionary,” Doud said. “It was never a no. It was tell me more. Can we make it happen? What do you need from us to help make it happen?”
He said the new weight room reflects the district’s commitment to building opportunity and raising expectations for how students learn and grow. The room was not built to serve just football players, wrestlers, or volleyball athletes. It was designed as a space where any student could build strength, confidence, resilience, and discipline. As the space begins to be used, coaches believe this upgrade will play a meaningful role not only in performance but also in the culture, identity, and pride students carry with them long after they leave the room.
Oskaloosa High School will host an open house for families and community members to tour the new weight room on Thursday, November 13 from 5 to 7 p.m.