The Rack: Warehouse to Training Facility

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Daniel Minenok, Sports Editor

In August of 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed that he had a dream.  A little over 50 years later, a man born eleven days before that infamous speech also had a dream.  Head strength and conditioning coach Pat Minenok was exploring the old, rather small weight room, and realized that the rest of the building (used by maintenance men from the school district) was not being used properly.  He knew that this old warehouse had the potential to be something special, and possibly give the kids in our community a positive route to turn to.  Three years later, The Rack has become a top-flight high school training facility.  As of now, in The Rack there are eleven power racks, nearly two full sets of dumbbells, medicine balls, battle rope stations, jump stretch training equipment, you name it.  But what separates The Rack from any other high school or even nearby universities is its thirty yards of field turf.  Although it is already the talk of the WPIAL, Coach Minenok´s vision still is not complete.  With half of the building still being occupied by the maintenance men, the school board voted to move them into another building and expand The Rack.  Now, thirty more yards of field turf will be installed, along with a cardio room, batting cages and possibly a sand long-jump pit.  A fueling station, powered by the New Castle Police Department, will also be put into the building.  This feature will allow the student-athletes to get a quick snack to provide some energy before they train, and a recovery drink to help them repair their muscles after they work out.