TOHS opens new workout room
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

MAJOR UPGRADES-The new weight room at Thousand Oaks High is open and players and coaches agree that it's a big-time improvement for all of the athletics programs at the school.

It's unknown how many wins and how many losses Thousand Oaks' football team will have during the upcoming year, but one thing is for sure: The team will be playing with even more pride and they will be in even better shape.

This summer, Thousand Oaks received a new weight room worth $60,000 that came from private sponsors. The coaching staff couldn't be more thrilled.

"We are very fortunate to have had these donations were we can get the new weight room," TOHS head football coach Mike Sanders said. "This is a huge thing for our program. The kids deserve the best they can get for all their hard work and now they got it."

The weight room opened on July 23 and every piece of equipment in the room is new. The room, painted in green and white, is set up in two parts. One room is used for upper body workouts while the other room is used for lower body workouts. The facility also has new ceilings, a new carpet and a drinking fountain.

Strength and conditioning coach Brian Vincent remembers what the room used to look like and has been very impressed with how much it's changed. Vincent said the old equipment was moved beneath the bleachers and the room remained empty for awhile.

However, once the new equipment was installed, Vincent was blown away.

"This is a far cry from what we used to have and what most schools still have," he said. "This new room is fantastic, with topof-the-line material."

According to Sanders, it'll be especially helpful January through August when the team uses it an hour per day. That hasn't stopped many players from utilizing the new room immediately. One of those players is senior Dejuan Yates, who plays defensive tackle and offensive guard.

"I really like the machine called the 'jammer,'" Yates said. "When you are on the line, you have to get real low and then spring up fast. This machine really helps with that."

The new room opened a year after $80,000 was donated to renovate the fieldhouse, where new showers were installed and the building was painted. Even though TOHS has received many gifts lately, maintenance is a priority.

"We have a motto here at Thousand Oaks and that motto is that hard work deserves more hard work," Thousand Oaks freshmen coach Chris English said. "Every two weeks the players are going to go in and clean the room so it looks brand new. So that's helping build the character of this team."

The facility is also helping build team pride. Although the coaches say the players always worked hard in the weight room, their work ethic has intensified.

"There is a certain pride factor involved," Sanders said. "There is a mental edge there as the kids-by having all the best facilities and working around them all day-start to believe that they themselves can be the best."