Steelers provide helping hand as Yough renovates weight room

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, December 14, 2020 | 5:43 PM

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Yough hopes to be flexing its muscles again soon in the WPIAL — with a little lift from the Black and Gold.

The school district recently accepted a $15,000 grant from the Pittsburgh Steelers to upgrade its weight room and the project is drawing rave reviews in Herminie.

Yough athletes will be lifting like the pros.

The company designFITNESS, out of Ohio, put together a weight room for the Steelers during training camp this year. Camp was not held at Saint Vincent College for the first time in six decades due to covid-19, so players held camp and worked out at Heinz Field.

Yough went through the same company for its project but there was a bonus: They inherited some of the Torque Fitness Equipment actually used by the Steelers during camp.

Now, a Yough lineman could end up lifting the same dumb bell used by T.J. Watt or James Conner.

“I mean, how cool is that?” Yough athletic director Scott Morrison said. “I’m sure our kids will be all fired up.

“Mike Marchinsky and Garett Giemont of the Pittsburgh Steelers were extremely helpful and professional with helping this all come together. The Steelers are truly a first class organization.”

The renovation also included new flooring, squat racks, dumb bells, utility bench, glute-ham machine, two torque tanks and a low-row machine.

“We also put in new mirrors, art work for school spirit, hooks and mounts on the wall for equipment bars, and mounted the speakers and the sound system,” Morrison said. “This has been a huge positive to our school and our program. This is something everyone is excited about.”

Morrison said Yough needed to update its workout area for obvious reasons, but he also thinks it can go beyond strength and fitness. It can also help with team morale.

“By working together in the weight room during the offseason, they will develop a bond with each other that will translate into the teamwork they need to develop to be successful,” he said. “I can not say thank you enough to the Steelers for their donation and for helping us.”

Yough football coach Chris Chunko said players already have been using the weight room.

“There is no standing around and everybody is working hard,” Chunko said. “It’s great. We have had spirited workouts.

“Hats off to the Pittsburgh Steelers and our AD, plus (former Yough football coach) Scott Wood put in for the weights and a big thank you to him.”

Morrison said the project was a group effort, also tipping his cap to people at Yough.

“I am extremely proud to be a part of our Yough School District team,” he said. “This project that will be a huge asset and positive to our athletic program for years to come.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

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