Seven Hills Athletics Gets Even Stronger

This fall, Seven Hills student-athletes have been working hard to improve their game — not only on the field and court, but in the weight room, too.

With the addition of strength and conditioning coach Patrick Naylor, Upper School teams now have dedicated time in their weekly practice schedules to focus on weightlifting, proper form, and physical conditioning.

The sessions build on the instruction athletes already receive from their coaches, with Naylor helping them to develop effective training habits and better understand how strength and conditioning can support their performance.

Students are already seeing the impact. Sophomore and student-athlete Tripp O’Connell said the program has helped him develop both physical strength and the mental resilience to work through challenges.

“I feel the strength and conditioning program has immensely helped with not only physical strength but also mental strength and the ability to push through what is hard,” O’Connell said.

The work in the weight room has also created opportunities for teammates to encourage one another and work toward shared goals. O’Connell said Naylor has helped foster that sense of teamwork.

“[Naylor] has taught us how to work well as a team and to push each other to be the best versions of ourselves,” O’Connell said.

The expanded focus on strength and conditioning comes ahead of plans for a new athletic facility that will provide additional space for training and wellness at Seven Hills. As part of the One Campus. One Community. One Seven Hills. campaign, Hillsdale Commons will be transformed into an athletic facility to serve all Middle and Upper School students, regardless of their involvement in Seven Hills athletics.

Located next to Kalnow Gym, the facility will be used for physical education classes, strength and conditioning, fitness, and wellness, creating additional opportunities for students to build healthy habits.

The existing weight room in Kalnow Gym will remain available as an auxiliary space for athletic teams and physical education classes, allowing the school to accommodate different groups and activities across both facilities.

For Athletic Director Brandon Williams, the expanded space represents an opportunity to build on the progress already underway. “We’re already seeing the value of giving our student-athletes more dedicated time for strength and conditioning,” Williams said. “The new athletic facility will allow us to take that work even further, supporting our teams’ training while creating more opportunities for all students across the school to engage in fitness and wellness.”