River Road ISD presents new, state-of-the-art athletic facility
River Road Independent School District (RRISD) presented its new, state-of-the-art weight lifting facility Tuesday afternoon on its high school campus. The new center was commemorated with a ribbon cutting presented by the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce.
The facility, named the River Road Athletic Performance Center, will serve an approximate 300 student athletes within RRISD. The facility spans a total of 5,500 square feet, completely renovated with the leading strengthening and conditioning equipment, Sorinex.
According to RRISD Superintendent Richard Kelly, the district is working to improve each of its programs throughout the district. This project was recognized as a need after realizing that the former facility, which is a fourth of the new center's size, was no longer an adequate space for the students to train and perform safely. Kelly jokingly named the new space the "Iron Jungle" for its ability to make their athletes, also known as Wildcats, bigger, faster and stronger.
"I'm very proud of this endeavor; I'm proud of all the hard work that has gone in to making this happen. We have always stood on the simple fact that if we are going to have an athletic program, we are going to make sure that all of our athletes are properly prepared, properly conditioned and ready to play at their very best potential. We have been doing that, but with this new facility, we can help our students reach that next level," Kelly said.
According to RRISD, the new weight room is the first facility with this caliber of equipment in the greater Texas Panhandle area. That's in comparison to all high schools, colleges, and private facilities. The equipment installed is the same equipment being utilized at schools including the University of Georgia, Texas, and Southern California University, as well as in professional facilities such as those utilized by the Atlanta Braves, the Buffalo Bills, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
"This facility is one of a kind. ... With the amount of equipment and space that we have in here, we can work hundreds of athletes as needed, from grades 6th to 12th. From the time that our athletes walk in, to the time that they walk out, they will be prepared to be the best that they can be, wherever they go; should that be some sort of professional athlete or a military career, they will be prepared," said Justin Cranfill, RRISD Athletics Strength and Conditioning Coach.
"This facility elevates us; this allows us to work around every injury," Cranfill added. "This morning we ran 75 students, 12 of which had an injury, and not one of them missed a rep or set. That is how this facility and equipment allows us to perform."
RRISD also stated that the new facility is open to former alumni who may be home on break and are looking for a high performance facility to train at while on vacation. These individuals include former student athletes and military.
According to the district, in addition to the facility being state-of-the-art, they are also proud to have presented it without seeking extra community funding. Kelly said the new performance center was created utilizing the district's facilities committee to create a budget. In total, the project cost $680,000, with $450,000 utilized for construction of the center and $230,000 for equipment.
RRISD Athletic Director Bryan Welps said during the ribbon cutting ceremony: "RRISD is after what's best for our community and works to ensure that your kids and relatives that go to this school have the best in whatever the students choose to pursue. In whatever way they can help, they go out of their way to do so. ... This new facility is going to change River Road ISD and how we help our athletes."
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: RRISD celebrates new "Iron Jungle" Athletic performance center
