Strong is Beautiful

(2 Minute Read)

When we think of a high school weight room, we traditionally and stereotypically think of football players utilizing the weight room. In 2016 Hermiston High School (HHS) introduced an all-female athlete lifting class, which started with less than 30 athletes. Fast forward four years, there are now two all-female athlete lifting classes with more than 60 girls.

The belief that lifting and being strong was only for the boys quickly changed when Coach Emilee Strot was promoted to Strength Coach and Head Track Coach at Hermiston High School. Coach Strot has been teaching Health and Physical Education at Hermiston High School for seven years and currently is in her second year as the strength and conditioning coach. Her motto for all athletes (but aimed towards females is) “Strong is Beautiful” (E. Strot, Personal Interview, February 1, 2020).  This motto comes from a change of perspective that lifting weights makes girls bulky; with this change, girls see themselves as athletic, strong, and tough.

When you observe the positive culture in the weight room, it isn’t about other girls judging girls. Instead, you see and hear them supporting, motivating, and cheering on their fellow athletes. Coach Strot keeps her athletes motivated by challenging them. “I don’t want them to become comfortable, because when they do – we will stop getting better,” said Coach Strot.  Along with challenges, the girls are always setting and being reminded of their goals.  All of the athletes in Coach Strot’s class keep track of their progress on performance cards, these range from the 40-yard dash, squat, bench, cleans, and many others. Athletes also have both long and short term goals for their specific sport. Lastly, on the walls of the weight room are top ten charts for both males and females in the athletic tests. During each athletic testing period, the athletes work hard and strive to get their name on the chart.

“The girls are no longer afraid to lift, sweat, yell, and go beast mode,” said Coach Strot, when describing the benefit of having no male athletes in the weight room.  She also shares how having this class is special, as almost every sport at Hermiston High School is represented in the class. “The most beautiful thing is that they become one team when they are in the weight room,” said Coach Strot.  “With everyone encouraging, cheering, supporting, and best yet coaching one another to become better.”  When the class was first developed in 2016, Coach Strot set the class expectations high and let students know that the female lifting class was a privilege and not a right. In order to be in the class, the students must show up and give 100% every day even on game day.  The girls had to take what they previously knew, which was taking it easy on game day, now they give 100% while putting all their trust in Coach Strot. Over time the girls have built a bond with the weight room as well as with their coach and each other.

When talking to the female athletes at Hermiston High School they only had positive things to say about the program and their coach.

“I go to class because I know I will be getting stronger and faster than I was the day before. Us girls show up to class and work hard every day” (B. Noland, Personal Interview February 13, 2020).

“I wouldn’t be the athlete I am today without Strot or the All-Female Lifting Class” (J. Romero, Personal Interview February 20, 2020).

“The weight room has a positive atmosphere because we are part of a family and I can depend on them for encouragement. Coach Strot has given us the confidence to believe in strength as females.” (M. Young, Personal Interview February 20, 2020).

Personally for myself, when I see these female athletes giving it their all, it makes me wish I was back in high school getting to take a class that has endless benefits. These girls work so hard for themselves as well as their coach, and it makes me proud to work at and with a school and educators who care about all athletes and all sports. This is a place (HHS weight room) where everyone feels welcome and they want to be here.