Getting athletes into the weight room at Albert Lea High School has been a problem for coaches and now there’s a new incentive to try to get those athletes to improve their strength.

Weight room supervisor Jerry Bizjak has created a program to allow athletes to receive a letter in weightlifting as a way to get more athletes using to the weight room to improve themselves on the field.

It’s the first time the high school has created such a program and Bizjak is hoping that athletes will notice the benefits of consistently training in the weight room.

“We’ve always had a few kids that have been dedicated,” he said. “We just haven’t had enough on a consistent basis and that’s kind of what we’re going for here.”

It’s a pilot program and there is no cost to participate. It is set up much like any other winter sport. The program is geared toward athletes that don’t participate in a winter sport, but some that are already involved in winter sports have decided to give the program a try after seeing what work in the weight room has done for others.

“That’s the main thing we need for next football season,” said Jordan Cooper who played football in the fall. “We found that out this year.”

Cooper said he didn’t spend much time in the weight room during the summer and wished he had spent more time there.

“Last summer I wasn’t in here too much and I really regretted that on the football field,” Cooper said. “It would have made a big difference if I was here in the summer.”

So far eight athletes are participating in the program.

The program started last week and will run through Feb. 27. Participants are required to commit to four days a week for an hour and 15 minutes each day which must be performed after school and not in conjunction with training in a winter sport. Athletes were pretested and will be post-tested. Each participant must gain at least 10 percent on each lift.

The three areas of lifting that will be covered are what Bizjak calls the Olympics lifts, the clean and jerk, the squat, and the bench.

Bizjak worked with football captain Jordan Holland after last winter and over the spring and summer and said Holland improved his strength tremendously.

“The kids that have stuck with me and listened to me have (seen gains),” Bizjak said. “Jordan Holland went up 100 pounds in three lifts combined from the time wrestling ended to when football began which is really good.”

One requirement of the program is that participants must attend or participate in at least one weightlifting meet. The meets are held around southern Minnesota and cost $30. Logan Ferrie competed in one last year, Bizjak said, and had some success with it.

The workouts aren’t all focused on power lifting, either. As the programs goes on, footwork and agility workouts will be added.

While some students may be intimidated by the weight room, Bizjak says they shouldn’t feel that way, especially with the facility ALHS has available.

“I don’t think it’s an intimidating atmosphere or anything like that,” Bizjak said. “We’ve got a great facility. Compared to a lot of Big Nine weight rooms this is really good.”

Cooper likes the program and thinks that other football players not going out for a winter sport should participate.

“There are a lot of football players playing winter sports which is good,” he said. “But if they’re not doing that I think they should come out and do something to stay in shape.”