The clang of the weights, the hum of the new fans, and the flash of the freshly painted walls: the Normal West weight room doesn’t just look different; it feels different.

The weight room at Normal West, a space traditionally used for strength training, has recently undergone significant changes.

Due to the vision of coach and teacher Drew Emerick, what was once a cluttered and outdated space for student athletes has transformed into a clean, organized, and welcoming environment for all students and not just the athletes.

After spending time with his boys basketball and boys tennis teams in the weight room, he noticed that although it wasn’t in bad shape, there was definitely room for improvement.

The renovation, completed in just under two months, has already inspired more students to step inside and get moving.

Emerick began his teaching career at Prairieland Elementary and Towanda Elementary, spending eight years there before coming to Normal West this semester.

Though new to teaching at West, he’s no stranger to the school . In fact, he’s been coaching the boys’ basketball and tennis team for the past six years.

After spending time in the weight room with his teams, Emerick noticed that while the space wasn’t in bad condition, it had potential to be better.

“I had spent time there with the basketball program. It wasn’t in bad shape, but I just always knew that there could be improvements to make it more functional,” Emerick explained.

“I never had the time or desire to do it because I only spent an hour at a time with the team. But when I knew that I’d actually have to teach in that space, I knew that some changes needed to be made to make it more functional and safer, and just better for the kids in general,” Emerick noted.

The reconstruction was a team effort, and funding for the project came from a variety of places.

The athletic teams of Normal West, who regularly use the weight room, as well as others who don’t, all contributed to the funds.

“The [teams] decided to help donate money out of their activity accounts, [which] was really helpful,” Emerick said. “We also had some old equipment that we were able to sell to get money back. Dr. Codron helped with paying for the TVs there. A lot of different avenues, but pretty much all in-house here.”

The renovation process began early in the summer, as soon as Emerick was hired for the full-time position.

Custodians Lowell Correll and Melissa Melgosa were integral to the project.

They took on tasks such as painting the walls, installing new equipment, and helping with a deep clean of the entire space.

“Melissa painted all 4 walls, which took a while, and put the stripes on there, which was awesome,” said Emerick.

“Lowell was there helping take old stuff down, put new stuff up. He helped install the TVs, the fans, the clock, the speakers, all of it.

“I’ve kind of drug them through the mud through the whole process, but they’ve been really awesome to work with and very helpful. Then the rest of the custodian team had done a deep clean,” added Emerick.

other West coaches and staff also helped make the renovation possible.

The football team helped move equipment, while basketball coaches Ed Hafermann and Mike Sarver helped remove the old mirrors from the space.

Kelsey Mueller, the PE department chair, also helped design the layout and assisted with the installation of the new dumbbell racks.

While the upgrades have certainly benefited student athletes, Emerick’s goal was always to create a space that was more inclusive: a place where students from all backgrounds and interests could use.

Emerick’s hope was that the space would encourage more students to participate in physical activity, even if they weren’t athletes.

That goal is already becoming a reality.

Junior Kylie Pollett uses the weight room four times a week in her personal development class, and says

the difference is definitely noticeable.

“I like the changes made in the weight room; it makes it look much more put together,” Pollett stated. “It honestly does make me more excited to go in there in comparison to when I took personal development last year, the weight room was still fun… but pretty dirty. It didn’t look clean either.”

“My favorite part is how much more space there is in the middle of the weight room so that we can do different exercises, not always involving weights,” she said.

Pollett especially appreciates the addition of space for different activities.

“It also gives us an opportunity to move our bench out to the middle area if we need more space at our rack, if we’re deadlifting or doing an exercise similar to that, where you need a lot of space,” she added.

Pollett also emphasized how much safer and more organized the room feels now: “The weight room is much more organized, and it’s so much easier to find the weight you want. It definitely is safer as there’s less chance you bump into someone when working out, with all the new space in the weight room.”

Emerick said feedback like Pollett’s shows the renovation has met its goal.

“I’ve had some good comments from other PE teachers. Ms. Harkins said that she feels like her class feels much more invited in that space.”

“I’ve heard good feedback from the coaches about just the space itself; they’ve been able to utilize the room better without the dumbbells all in the middle,” Emerick shared.

While the reconstruction is a significant step forward, Emerick has more plans for the space in the near future.

For instance, a Wildcat logo will be printed on one wall, and banners will be added to further school spirit.

Ultimately, Emerick hopes to replace the old equipment with new, customized racks.

The project’s success, he said, came down to teamwork and dedication, thanks to the hard work and collaboration of the staff at Normal West.

Emerick emphasizes that the project wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the custodians, coaches, and school community.

As the space continues to improve and grow, students and staff alike are excited to see the positive impact the updated weight room will have on school fitness and student engagement.

But beyond the upgrades, the project’s true success lies in the teamwork and pride that brought it to life, a perfect reflection of the Wildcat spirit.