At Piedmont, 22 different sports teams and an entire student body are expected to share one gym. Over the years, it is not unusual to find multiple teams in the gym at one time, practicing at all hours of the day. When the gym is packed with 40 plus students, just doing what their coach says, where are the non-athletes supposed to go? Are these students expected to fit their schedules around 20 teams to get the opportunity just to workout? This should not be the case; every student, no matter what they do here at Piedmont, should have equal access to the gym.

College is a fun, but stressful time for everyone who attends, and working out is a highly recommended way to combat that stress.  Taking time off a big project and putting your mind towards other things helps students both physically and mentally. Working out also helps with depression, anxiety, self-esteem and sleep – which are all things college students need to be sure to take care of. When the gym is full and all of the equipment is taken, students do not even get the chance to reap all of the benefits of going to the gym.

 Full gyms can also be daunting for people just getting into working out. From not knowing how to use a specific machine, to not being able to lift as much as the lacrosse player next to you, the gym can bring more anxiety. Non-athletes at Piedmont have to work out in the same gym as these athletes who have been in the gym for years. It can be intimidating for these students trying to learn the gym, while dodging multiple athletes and the anxiety that may come. It is clear that the gym is not big enough for both athletes and regular students here at Piedmont.

The solution to this problem is simple; there needs to be two separate gyms at Piedmont, one for athletes and one for non-athletes. Having two gyms would cut the number of people at the gym in half immediately. Students who are just starting to go to the gym will be able to learn without the pressure of the athletes there. Having an athlete-specific gym will make Piedmont more desirable when coaches are out recruiting, so both sides will benefit from this expansion. With two gyms, students will be able to gain the benefits of going to the gym and making it through college.