The armory is renovated to fit Mooney's diverse sports teams.
Cardinal Mooney recently renovated the armory, the weightlifting room that historically was used exclusively by the football team. However, with new editions and safer environments, The armory is open for any sports team.
The renovations for the armory started in November of 2020, when Carl Pelini, associate athletic director for advancement, noticed a problem.
“It was about 35 degrees there in November when we were working there,” Pelini said. “My original intention was to get heat, and then it snowballed.”
The project definitely snowballed, as athletic director Jim Jablonski recounted his goals for the project.
Jablonski said, “We wanted to make it a premier workout facility for a high school in the area.”
The renovations for the armory started in November of 2020, when Carl Pelini, associate athletic director for advancement, noticed a problem.
“It was about 35 degrees there in November when we were working there,” Pelini said. “My original intention was to get heat, and then it snowballed.”
The project definitely snowballed, as athletic director Jim Jablonski recounted his goals for the project.
Jablonski said, “We wanted to make it a premier workout facility for a high school in the area.”
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The facility now sports weightlifting, agility training, cardio training, and eventually, a golf simulator. Overall, the facility is growing to support more than just the football team.
Savanna VanSuch is a Junior lacrosse and volleyball player for the lady Cardinals. “I’m excited to get to use it, and actually have the option to use it, maybe not even just for sports, just to better yourself physically,” VanSuch said. The main benefit of the new armory is its availability to every sport at Mooney. However, the training facility is also beneficial to its original users— the football players. |
Junior football and basketball player Jack Desmond said, “It's a lot safer because the old armory didn’t have organization, the weights would be all over the place, and the new set of rules with coach Pelini has a safer environment overall.”
With bolstered safety, the armory has big plans for future events. Pelini explained summer weight lifting programs that are planned for every sport, and plans for an addition of a golf simulator.
Jablonski agreed and said, “Well, it’s not just for the football team. We plan to incorporate all sports, male and female, to be able to use the facility. That was one of the goals: to make it all inclusive.”
Luckily, it seems the football team is not bothered by the concept of sharing the armory.
“Honestly, playing more than just football, being able to use the armory for longer, I feel great about it. Sharing it really isn’t a problem with me. Benefitting a lot of other people makes me happy. I don’t care about sharing,” Desmond said. Finally, after being bought by Cardinal Mooney for one dollar and being left alone for 35 years, the armory is fresh. Opening its doors to other sports will not only make the armory more useful, but also benefit every other sport Mooney has to offer. |
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