The Blanchester High School weight room received a nice Christmas present.
The Blanchester Athletic Boosters purchased 20 pieces of Hammer Strength weight room equipment from Loveland High School for $3,500.
“We’re very grateful for the cooperation and effort between coach (Brian) Damewood (Blanchester football) and Brian Conatser (Loveland assistant athletic director) for developing this opportunity,” BHS athletic director Bryan Pennix said.
On Thursday, the first day of Blanchester’s Christmas break, a group of coaches, students and parents went to Loveland High School at 9 a.m. to transport the equipment back to BHS. Pennix said Larry Roberts and Roberts Farms provided driver John Evans transportation for the equipment.
Among those helping with the equipment were Pennix, coach Damewood, head football coach Brandon Sammons, coach James Hetzel, head basketball coach Adam Weber, Jerry Settlemayer, Ricky Bowman, Robert Sipple, Bryan Howard, Tristan Greene, Lucas Thacker, Johny Schirmer, Clayton Schirmer, Dustin Howard, Jasper Damewood, Jesse Wright and high school principal Rick Hosler.
“We came back to Blanchester and by 1 p.m. the (weight) room had been converted to all of the new pieces,” said Pennix. “I think it is a pretty awesome story. From the graciousness of Loveland, to the effort of Mr. Hosler, to the amount of work the group did to make it happen.”
Pennix said Hosler was the instrumental in getting the equipment for such a good price.
“Equipment of similar age and condition would cost over $22,000 normally,” Pennix said. “I am truly blessed to work with such wonderful coaches and players, who would put in such tremendous amount of work on their first day of Christmas break.”
