Due to COVID-19 guidelines, availability for students to work out has been limited by the Anderson Athletics and Recreation Complex’s capacity limits.

AARC Director David Lepp’s role has changed from administrating varsity athletic events to helping ensure everyone follows COVID-19 guidelines, like wearing masks during workouts and cleaning machines before and after use. These regulations limit the amount of people that can be in the weight room and the cardio room, which Lepp says is a major change.

“We fill to capacity from 6 a.m. to the last slot at 9 p.m.” Lepp said.

Both rooms currently limit capacity to 25. The capacity for the cardio and weight rooms are normally 97 and 175, respectively.

Lepp thinks the gym would have been busy this year, even at full capacity. The athletic department could not find accurate numbers regarding how many students have used the AARC at press time.

“Even before we had the restrictions, we were always very busy when school first started,” Lepp said.

Students can reserve workout spots online for the upcoming week beginning each Sunday at 9 a.m. Students may reserve up to one hour per workout space a day.

This process was recently transitioned online after operating as a call-in service, Lepp said.

“We’re just trying to make it as accessible for students as possible,” Lepp said.

Junior Gabby Cadle is used to working out regularly, but having to schedule her workouts in advance has been difficult.

“That’s been my biggest struggle,” Cadle said, “I’m someone who has to work out. It’s just something that’s kind of trained in my body.”

Before the online process was in place, Cadle had to wait over two weeks to workout in the AARC because she could not get a slot.

“That was super frustrating for me,” Cadle said, “I just kind of had to make my own workouts.”

Coaches are still holding varsity practices and workouts in smaller groups called pods.

“They’re trying to give them normality as much as possible,” Lepp said.

Cadle said that student athletes having scheduled workout slots makes it difficult for students like her who are not involved in sports to find time to use the AARC.

“It totally makes sense,” Cadle said, “but that leaves limited times for the students.”

Student athlete Caroline Johnson lifts weights with her pod from the cross country team in the upstairs track to avoid taking up slots in the weight room. The equipment is brought upstairs and cleaned by AARC staff for them.

“I really respect them for doing that,” Johnson said.

Despite how busy the gym is, Cadle still feels safe visiting the AARC regularly.

“The school is doing a good job of keeping it clean and making sure everyone feels protected,” Cadle said.

Johnson agrees that the school is doing a good job keeping students safe while allowing them to use the AARC.

“I think that all the student athletes really appreciate everything they’ve been doing,” Johnson said.

Annie Terry can be reached at terr2351@stthomas.edu.