Goldsboro High unveils new weight room

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on January 22, 2015 1:48 PM

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The next time Goldsboro quarterback Nashir Bowden lays down to do a bench press, he won't be laying on a wooden bench.

Ray'Quan Griffin won't have to do squats on a rack with missing pieces.

Instead, the Goldsboro High School student body -- and faculty as well -- will get to work out on new state-of-the-art equipment that was installed in the weight room on Wednesday morning.

"This is a really exciting time for us to have a first class weight room now and the Touchdown Club stepped up to help make this possible and give us something that will benefit all of our programs," Goldsboro football coach Bennett Johnson said.

The Goldsboro Touchdown Club provided approximately $26,000 to the weight room efforts, member Sherry Archibald said. There will be an open house to show off the new weight room to the public on Feb. 4 from 5:30-7 p.m.

But Bowden couldn't wait.

The junior stopped by the facility Wednesday during a break between classes.

"I had to make sure it was real," Bowden said smiling. "It's real."

Griffin, on the other hand, has periodically sent texts to Johnson about the weight room.

"Since he can't be here during the installation and stuff, he's made sure to tell me to say 'thank you' to everyone who has been involved," Johnson said. "He texted me this morning actually."

Upon hearing about the players' excitement for the weight room, Archibald couldn't help but smile.

"Comments like those are what make all of the work worthwhile," Archibald said. "They have been a joy to work for and with. It's truly been an answer to prayers that I hope is going to continue."

Johnson's plan to revamp the weight room started the first day he got the job at Goldsboro. The equipment was falling apart, and most of it didn't work. So for the first two weeks, Goldsboro's workouts consisted of moving out the old equipment to clear space in the weight room, and then lifting nothing but plates and bars during workouts.

Johnson's weight-lifting classes consisted of mainly running.

"We were basically doing crossfit workouts," Johnson said. "The lifting the kids would come in here and just pick up a 45-pound plate and do curls with that."

Now, instead of plates and bars, the weight room has four racks installed by Legend Fitness, with benches, squat racks, dip bars and a new sound system. The weight benches are blue with the Goldsboro 'G' logo embroidered on the headrest. An art class painted the letters 'TPG' on the wall to the right once you walk in.

There's a painting of a Cougar done by Danny Kepley on the back wall next to a new lifting board for the top-five lifters in certain categories -- squat, bench, clean, 40-yard dash time and grade-point average.

Johnson knows his quarterback will be up on the board for his GPA, but Bowden has bigger plans.

"I want to get up there for all of them," he said.

The athletes did a good portion of the work leading up to the installation, and that's something Johnson thinks will help keep the facility looking new.

"They've got some equity in this, too," he said. "They put time and effort into this so I think they're going to appreciate it a little more."

And while it's an investment in the football program, Johnson reiterated that it's an investment in Goldsboro High School more than anything.

"I've already had teachers asking me if they can come work out in it," Johnson said. "It's something that will help all of our athletic programs get better and it's something for everybody to be proud of to have a first class weight room."

But he also realizes with the new facilities will come new expectations.

"There's no excuses anymore," he said.