Over the last few years, Birch Run High School in Michigan has emphasized the importance of the weight room for all students and athletes, male and female. As the school promoted weight training over the summer, during physical education classes, and after school, the teachers and coaches found themselves managing countless paper copies and printed workouts.
Nick Maksimchuk, Head Football Coach, Powerlifting Coach, and Strength and Agility Coordinator, said that Birch Run wanted and needed to find a better way,
“We had to figure something out because, at times, we had upwards of 70 students in the weight room at once, and all the paper copies and sheets was just getting too crazy.”
As a result, the school researched and found a technology tool that they saw as an opportunity to support students and athletes not only in the weight room but within all elements of performance and wellness. Here is how the addition of technology is boosting Birch Run’s program.
Implementing A Data-Driven Approach
One of the biggest reasons Birch Run turned to technology was in hopes of using data as a more powerful tool within the program. Nick says that the goal was two-pronged – 1) Give teachers and coaches more insights. 2) Help motivate and engage students. Nick elaborates,
“We wanted to find a way to get data, understand what was happening in the weight room, and then get that info to students in an easy-to-understand way.”
As Birch Run implemented PLT4M, they quickly saw the power a technology-driven approach was having with data in the weight room,
“It helped us streamline and maximize our time as coaches and teachers. But the coolest part was seeing students get motivated and excited by weights and core lifts changing and updating in real-time as they logged workouts.”
More Than Just Data – The Power Of Programs & Resources
While Birch Run was happy to go away from paper sheets and towards technology for delivering and tracking workouts, Nick says that the addition of PLT4M has also proved to be a versatile tool when it comes to programming workouts,
“PLT4M’s versatility is awesome for us as teachers and coaches. While we can create our own workouts, the pre-built programs have been phenomenal for our students.”
Beyond just the work in the weight room, Nick looks at PLT4M as an all-encompassing resource for students and athletes. For example, Birch Run uses PLT4M to help deliver different stretching and recovery workouts for athletes, even when they aren’t at school,
“After a game Friday, I can send our team a recovery workout that they can use at home to help care for their bodies, even when they aren’t in the building.”
And because Birch Run is focused on putting together the complete picture of wellness for students, Nick says that the health programs have been another great addition,
“It is great to know we have everything we need within PLT4M to help educate students on other important elements like nutrition, sleep, hydration, and more.”
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Just Getting Started At Birch Run
Birch Run already sees and feels the benefits of boosting its program with technology and PLT4M. But still in their first year, Nick says this is just the start of more great things to come from the school,
“While we started mainly with our after-school and summer groups, we are already expanding this to our different weights and health classes because there is something for everyone with the program.”
The new program has opened up doors for more students, teachers, and coaches to get involved in the weight room and fitness program at Birch Run. Nick says that as a small school, it is fantastic to see the program take shape and boost the entire school population,
“We have boys, girls, athletes, and non-athletes all involved in some capacity. And even in our first year, we have seen PLT4M add many more resources and programs that continue to spark new ideas on how to use the program and get more students involved.”
What started as a solution for endless paper copies has turned into a school-wide mission of improving and bettering students and student-athletes. Be on the lookout for more great things to come from Birch Run as they continue to expand and evolve the program.
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