Penn Hills fitness team offers unique opportunity for students

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, December 28, 2017 | 11:00 PM

In a time where more of a focus has been placed on individual sports, there has always been one constant at Penn Hills.

Penn Hills has undergone numerous coaching changes throughout the years, but Bob Martini has remained as the head coach of the fitness team since 1982.

The fitness program, which includes close to 30 individuals, might not be the flashiest sport, but it allows anyone to better themselves physically and provides a healthier lifestyle.

“We have so many kids sometimes that want to join the team. Anyone that wants to be on the team can be on the team,” Martini said.

“They want to push hard; that is good for them. You aren't going to see them on the streets or getting into trouble. They aren't going to give Penn Hills a bad name.”

The Penn Hills fitness team, which was started by Bob Ford in 1966 when Martini was part of the team as a student, is one of the few teams still remaining the Pittsburgh area.

Penn Hills, whose season spans from November to May, used to compete in dual matches against Plum, Mars, Schenley, Westinghouse and Blackhawk years ago.

Now, the club team raises money to send athletes to competitions around the country, including the Eastern Regionals and National High School Physical Fitness Championships.

Each competition consists of five events, with three minutes between each event, including 100 sit-ups in two minutes, 60 non-stop push-ups in two minutes, three standing broad jumps, 30 pull-ups in two minutes and a 300-yard shuttle run in 44 seconds.

“Very few people have gotten a 500 because it's a tough blend of aerobic and anaerobic events,” Martini said.

“Honestly, a lot of people aren't up to practicing that hard sometimes to do something like this. It's almost like a mini-decathlon. This team, you have to work really hard because you're lifting every day and there is a lot of running and jumping.”

The girls team is coming off a third-place finish at the National High School Physical Fitness Championships, which are held at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. The team championships consist of six individuals per team.

Julia Maisto, Maddy Banks, Katie Russell, Eliza Brennan and Amanda McCann all placed in the top 18 individually out of 250 girls.

A couple of seasons ago, Penn Hills accomplished a feat that rarely occurs when Gina Gionta and Andre Kuminkoski both finished first in the individual competition.

The fitness team, which practices two times a week for a couple of hours in the Bill Fralic Athletic Center, provides an outlet for students to get more involved in the community and develop as individuals.

“Their self-esteem is going up with them doing better in school. Some of the quiet ones come out their shells and are joining this team or this organization because they feel much better physically,” Martini said.

Martini provides instruction on lifting technique and nutrition in an effort to build a proper foundation that can used through the rest of their lives.

The fitness program allows the athletes to develop key muscles to aid in the positive development of his athletes who play multiple sports at Penn Hills.

Andrew John is a freelance writer.

Tags: Penn Hills