After years of making due with what was available in and around the Cliff Meyer Team Facility, it’s time for the Bruins to get a brand new weight room for all teams and physical education classes on campus.
A handful of big donations has Wilson halfway to raising the $225,000 needed for a 3,000 square foot weight room. Now it’s been opened to alums and the public to help the Bruins reach their goal.
“It’s awesome to see the Bruin community come together for this project,” Wilson alum and soccer, cross country and track coach C.J. Brewer said of the weight room all of his male and female athletes will be able to utilize.
“We will now have the tools needed to continue to build on Wilson’s tradition of excellence. Our athletic program has had great success without a weight room, I’m excited to see how this project translates to further Wilson success on the field, on the court, in the pool, and on the track”
It’s impressive to think Wilson has 449 Moore League championships, 67 CIF championships and a record number of aquatic Olympians after many of those Bruins weren’t able to fully train on campus.
“It will be especially beneficial to have a room that accommodates our whole team at one time,” Wilson football coach Scott Meyer said. “Our student athletes will have the opportunity to train in a first class weight room that inspires them, motivates them, and keeps them healthy physically and mentally.”
The first $100,000 raised already came from Wilson alum and Cleveland Browns lineman Joel Bitonio, Laurinda and Steve Kraemer, Long Beach Century Club, Wilson Alumni Golf Tournament and Wilson Athletic Teams. Bitonio himself donated $50,000 to the project. He’s also the Wilson Athletics sponsor here at The562.org.
“The Wilson girls’ swim team is enthusiastically waiting for a new weight room on campus,” Wilson coach Maggi Twinem said. “We have had to seek other ways to strength train because our existing wait room is archaic with water leaks, rusted walls with ceiling tiles falling from the ceiling. Wilson has been behind all the other high schools in Long Beach for more than 25 years, as well as Orange County high schools in terms of a weight room which can be used by all sports. It would add another dimension to our swim program.”
“This project is long overdue,” Wilson coach John Janzen said. I’m proud of alumni for leading the way and especially Joel Bitonio for his generous donation to get us started. For decades, our football players have used that room without complaint but this new weight room will take our strength training program to the next level.”
The money already raised is for phase one that has allowed the LBUSD to begin the process of installing new flooring, knocking walls down, improving the lighting and fixing other electrical issues. The second phase of this fundraiser is about the state-of-the-art equipment desired.
“Flexibility and stability are also critical facets of our athletic athletes’ abilities,” Wilson water polo coach Zac Polmanteer said. “Many movements we use to improve strength, flexibility and stability can only be properly practiced in a dry land setting.”
Below is information Wilson administrators are sending to possible donors:
