Springfield teams up to renovate weight room

A glance at the rust on any one of the number of pieces of weight lifting equipment in Springfield High School's weight room was evidence that the facility was overdue for an upgrade.

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2017-05-06 / Sports Print article Print Springfield teams up to renovate weight room «» View full-size Left to right, Springfield Booster Club president Rachel Hunter, Joy Benson and Brandon Kear of the physical education department, athletic director Timmy McDonnell, and coach and president-elect of the Springfield Rotary Club Jim Fog participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday to celebrate renovations to the Springfield High School weight room. — TIM TAYLOR http://www.eagletimes.com/sites/www.eagletimes.com/files/imagecache/full/Spr-ribbon.jpghttp://www.eagletimes.com/sites/www.eagletimes.com/files/imagecache/full/Spr-girls.jpghttp://www.eagletimes.com/sites/www.eagletimes.com/files/imagecache/full/Spr-boys.jpg By TIM TAYLOR sports@eagletimes.com SPRINGFIELD — A glance at the rust on any one of the number of pieces of weight lifting equipment in Springfield High School's weight room was evidence that the facility was overdue for an upgrade. It took the teamwork of several groups and individuals, but the weight room received a major overhaul. And, on Friday, all the effort put into the project was recognized as Springfield Booster Club president Rachel Hunter, physical education teachers Joy Benson and Brandon Kear, athletic director Timmy McDonnell, and Jim Fog, track & field and cross country coach, and president-elect of the Springfield Rotary Club, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the renovation project. According to Fog, much of the equipment was 30 and 40 years old, and most of it was outdated. The rust on the equipment and a floor in need of repair were a result of water damage. “Years of water, condensation, it's subterranean down there,” Fog said. “It takes it's toll.” The school was able to replace the weights, but couldn't afford to replace several worn-out lifting machines. To do so, the school would have had to exhaust several thousand dollars, even for used machines (a multi-gym alone would have cost over $2,000). Fortunately, Fog had the right connections. “My friend from Dartmouth Tuck School of Business … he contacted me and said that they had this stuff here that they wanted to get rid of, to a school preferably; gently-used, 10 years old, top of the line when it was bought,” Fog said. “The company that made it went under during the financial panic and so there's no warranties. That's why they wanted to replace it. Fog's friend, John Dame, a professor at Tuck, took on the responsibility of finding a home for equipment. The machines were made by Body Masters Sports Industries, Inc., which at one time produced top-of-the-line equipment. Founded in 1979, BMSI filed for bankruptcy and went out of business under Chapter 7 liquidation in July 2010. Thetford Academy was also interested in the equipment, but didn't have room for the machines. That turned out to be a plus in both schools' favors as Springfield was in dire need of upgraded machines while Thetford needed free weights. Springfield took possession of the equipment in October, but the project was slowed as Fog and company had to wait on lead paint abatement funding, which required school board authorization. “It was awful. There were these big peeling pieces ... coming down off the ceiling,” Fog said. “The school board voted the money on Monday of February vacation and Tuesday we came in and moved all the stuff out. Football/baseball coach Rich Saypack put in new flooring, which was purchased by the booster and rotary clubs, and with a little help from P.E. as well. The weight room project was a concerted effort of several volunteers. Among them were athletic director Timmy McDonnell, track and cross country coach Stephen Lawrence, graduate Josh Hoy, Keith Graham from the Edgar May Health & Recreation center, Jason Hebert, some of Brandon Kear's P.E. class. Of course none of it would have come to fruition had it not been for the team effort put forth by the Springfield Booster Club, Springfield Rotary Club, Springfield School District, the Tuck School and the volunteers.