In the age of sports specialization, small schools all across the country still take great pride in multi-sport athletes. And these schools understand that fielding teams is not merely about assembling student-athletes to fill a roster but about cultivating an environment that maximizes each athlete’s potential. Plainview Junior Senior High School embodies this small school pride by placing a big emphasis on the weight room.
With just over 150 students at the 7th-12th grade school in Nebraska, the Plainview weight room has become a focal point for success. Jamieson Alexander, strength and conditioning coach and PE teacher, says that the goal is simple,
“As a smaller school, our goal is to develop well-rounded athletes.”
From building strength in the weight room to learning how to move well with speed and power in the gym, Plainview prioritizes total athletic development. With a strong summer program and weightlifting classes throughout the school year, Plainview supports multi-sport student-athletes with a comprehensive strength and conditioning program. Here is how the small school is maximizing success.
Managing The Moving Parts At Plainview
Between varying sports schedules and athletes in-season throughout the school year, Plainview still aspires to grow and develop in the weight room. Jamieson explains how he seeks to find ways to build better athletes throughout the school year,
“We have different games and competitions throughout the week, but that doesn’t mean we have to compromise on building strength and improving.”
Instead, Jamieson tweaks and alters workout plans and schedules to accommodate different student-athletes games and competitions. This way, Jamieson says, all the students still have opportunities to make progress, even within the hectic and demanding schedules of sports seasons.
To help with this juggling act, Plainview uses PLT4M as a strength and conditioning software to manage and deliver workout programs to students throughout the school year,
“PLT4M is a great app that makes managing everything really easy on my end. I love writing workouts and working with student-athletes, and having PLT4M has helped with efficiency for all the elements of our program.”
Conversations Connect The Pieces In The Weight Room
Jamieson credits the Plainview students for working hard in the weight room. But at times, he knows the importance of dialing it back for student-athletes so they can stay healthy and perform at their best,
“We have a lot of conversations during class about what students are feeling. And at certain points throughout the season or year, we might have to dial it back a bit so that they can manage the demands of their sports.”
From those conversations, Jamieson can adjust and modify workouts when necessary within PLT4M,
“The ability to adjust on the fly is great. I can respond to how students feel and ensure we maximize our time in the weight room.”
As a result, Plainview is seeing progress in the weight room while still maximizing performance on the field, court, and track.
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Speed & Flexibility – Wednesday Workouts
While Plainview spends most of the week in the weight room, Jamieson has shaped the program to incorporate speed work that he believes is crucial for developing well-rounded athletes. A former University of Oklahoma track and field athlete, Jamieson says that Wednesdays present an excellent opportunity to learn and develop other essential skills,
“At the high school level, there are a lot of students who struggle with proper running form and technique. Our speed days help student-athletes learn skills that help them balance being fast, quick, and powerful.”
By combining the work in the weight room during weightlifting days with speed days, Jamieson describes the progress he has seen student-athletes make,
“I feel like we have made leaps and bounds as a group since we first started over the summer. Our overall athletic ability is rising, and you can see that in competition.”
Signs Of Success At Plainview
Plainview takes great pride in its multi-sport student-athletes. As student-athletes navigate different seasons, Jamieson says that they are excited to see the consistent and comprehensive program make an impact on overall performance,
“The work our student-athletes are putting in during weightlifting classes, and our summer program shows up in games. You can see that regardless of the competition, they have a great opportunity for success because of the hard work in the weightlifting classes.”
Success isn’t reserved for just student-athletes at the school; Plainview also has general population students working out during the weightlifting classes. Jamieson says that the program is built for everyone to find success in the weight room,
“No matter what student or grade level, the weightlifting classes are designed through the personalized approach to support all students.”
As a small school, Plainview has made a big push in the weight room. Altogether, the school is proud of what the weightlifting classes offer for students of all backgrounds and abilities.
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