This year, Arcata High School has introduced a new club: The Weightlifting Club. This club was founded by Violet Villarreal and Lorenzo Amaro, the club’s two co-presidents. Under the advisory of Jeff Mielke, this club meets on Tuesdays in room 106 and after school in the weight room.
This club allows students to start their weightlifting journey but also benefits those who have prior experience in weightlifting. It will enable students with experience in weightlifting to inspire others to try new things. Newer members also have the opportunity to increase their general knowledge of weightlifting. Asking members what they hope to achieve or want to do, this club helps newer members achieve their goals along the way and over time, become less intimidated about exercising and can focus more on their goals with the additional support of the club members.
“I started going to the gym maybe a year or two years ago and it was intimidating and I didn’t know what to do or how to start… if I were to have a club like this, it would have made my beginning a lot better, so I’m hoping to do that for other people,” Villarreal said.
This club was made to help individuals who find it intimidating to start exercising and to help students who want to focus on their health at school. Our students, especially our athletes, use the school’s weight rooms. The club wants to raise money for the school’s weight room to make it an improved space with better equipment. The club has gone over proper forms for exercises such as the bench press, squat, and deadlift, and ideas for club merchandise to spread awareness about the club. Most importantly, the club talks about the main goals of the members, club, and school.
“The goals are to raise money for our school weight room to make it a better space… to create a community of people who share an interest in weightlifting, to encourage people to be more active and care more for their health… to educate people… and most importantly, to create a supportive community,” Villarreal said.
With the club starting small, Amaro and Villarreal are eager to see the growth of the club in the future.
“We’re just starting the club, it’s an idea I’ve had for a while… I can see what it can become,” Amaro said.
