Athleticism runs deep at Truckee High School. As such, strength development class has long been offered as an alternative for those seeking a more exciting option than plain-old PE.
Were you to speak with both males and females who have taken the class, you more than likely would hear tales of two entirely different experiences. Ask a guy, and he’ll probably explain how thrilling it was to reach his own personal record. However, if you ask a girl who has taken strength development what the class was like for her, she may describe how it was male-dominated and sometimes uncomfortable.
This stark contrast is an issue that has persisted for many years. Finally, in 2023, four girls came together to create an after-school women’s weightlifting club that fosters a safe, fun environment.
In November 2023, Grayson Martin and Jayna Palmer were two months into their strength development class. Both girls had strong fitness backgrounds and were excited to participate, even though they were two of only four girls in the class. Everyone was aware of how few girls there were in the strength development classes, and Coach Josh Ivens approached them with the idea of a girls-only weightlifting environment. Martin and Palmer immediately loved the concept and sought input from their peers. “We talked to some of our female friends, and a lot of them said they would take strength if it weren’t so overrun by guys,” Martin reported of the feedback she and Palmer had received.
This common sentiment was all the girls needed to set their plans in motion. They continued hearing chatter from girls around the school who were interested in strength development but deterred by the male dominance, and they wanted to change that.
Martin shared a first-period class with Hattie Kaplan, who had been going to the gym on her own for years. When Kaplan heard Martin discussing the club, she was eager to become involved.
“I knew this was a great opportunity because I’m already in the gym 24/7, working on myself and trying to help other people,” she said. “It’s something I’m very passionate about, so I really wanted to make a positive difference that could lead girls to healthy habits.”
As a final addition to the club, Martin and Palmer invited another athlete, Dani Cornette, who had a long-standing connection with Ivens regarding women’s fitness. They knew she’d be a great asset to the team as a varsity soccer and track athlete.
With a solid foundation set, things started moving quickly. It took about 3 months to get everything organized — finding a supervisor, securing a room, and scheduling times that worked for everyone. Martin and Palmer found a supervisor in Coach Matt Estabrook, who has been nothing short of an outstanding support. He came to every single meeting to assist in safety and proper technique, and when absent, he was always able to find a sub for the day.
Details were ironed out and a schedule was set for the club to meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the newly renovated weight room from the end of the school day at 2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m.
Word spread quickly around campus, surprising the football team but exciting the girls. They held their first workout at the end of this past February and continued through the end of the school year. The first meeting attracted around 15 girls, which was thrilling for the leaders. Having even one person passionate about growth was all they ever wanted.
“Seeing the turnout of some of the classes and people coming up to us saying what we’re doing is cool was really what made me feel accomplished,” Martin said.
Each day is designed to target a different part: Mondays focus on the lower body, Wednesdays on core/full body, and Fridays on the upper body. “We started teaching the four major lifts — back squat, bench press, deadlift, and clean,” Palmer, whose involvement in creating some of the workouts was essential for the club’s smooth operation, said of the typical structure of the weekly workouts. “I’ve loved crafting the workouts for our practices — balancing major lifts with compatible accessory lifts to maximize power and strength growth.”
Gains for Girls wasn’t limited to workout sessions, however. It also included an educational component, which featured a series of guest speakers, such as a nutritionist and a personal trainer who shared their personal health experiences and offered advice to the youths. Held during lunchtime, these sessions included some nutritious snacks to help keep attendees engaged. Kaplan believes these lunch meetings had some of their best attendance, likely because they were scheduled during school hours.
Since the workout sessions were scheduled during after-school hours, which often meant a conflict with team sports, Gains for Girls experienced varying levels of attendance in the gym. While those excited about the program tried their best to participate most days, spring sports were also in full swing. Some days, there were three girls on a single bench, while on others, only one, but that was okay. They never gave up.
To generate increased interest for the current school year, the girls had a table at the late-September Club Rush; an event Truckee High holds every year, broadcasting each individual club and the opportunities they all hold. They collected three pages of names of interested girls, far exceeding last year’s numbers. This achievement is both exciting and nerve-racking for the team, as the number of girls will definitely change what happens in the weight room.
Kaplan has noted that the daily targets of the workout schedule may change in the coming season.
“We want girls to get the most effective workouts of the week done,” she said. “Friday is when we more commonly have guest speakers, and it’s also when most girls are free. So, it makes sense to make that our full body/core/cardio day, but that’s just an idea.”
Finding time to work out can be challenging, as even Cornette, one of the club’s founders, struggles to make it happen.
“Sometimes it’s difficult for me to get motivated or find time between sports, but that’s why this club is so great, because when I want to work out, I have a safe space to go.” She elaborated saying that since so many of the girls have similar goals, it’s beyond encouraging when she meets them in the weight room.
The upcoming Gains for Girls season is expected to start around December, as fall sports conclude. What the leaders have planned is yet to be revealed, but it’s exciting for everyone eagerly awaiting it.
