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PE teacher Michael Hoone pitches unified sport-performance program to Saint Marys Area SD board
Summary
Michael Hoone presented a proposal to centralize strength and conditioning across school teams to reduce overlap, lower injury risk and open fitness access to non-athlete students; board members and staff asked about inclusion for Unified Fitness and a $1,200-per-season stipend.
Michael Hoone, a PE teacher and state director for the National High School Strength Coaches Association, presented a proposal to the Saint Marys Area SD board to unify strength-and-conditioning services across the district’s athletic programs and to offer training to students who are not currently on teams.
Hoone said the program, two years in development, would centralize systems and certified staff so coaches do not duplicate work and so athletes—especially multi-sport students—avoid overtraining. "Strength and conditioning is a common thread that ties all of our athletics together," he told board members, calling for a combined onboarding process, shared key performance indicators and trackable attendance reports to guide training and rehabilitation.
The presentation included three scenarios to illustrate problems the program would address: a freshman asked to ramp up quickly for varsity, a three-sport senior balancing multiple seasons, and an out-of-season coach lacking visibility on athletes’ activity. Hoone said the program would provide structured onboarding for newcomers, prehab and rehab to reduce injuries, and certification for at least one staff member on each coaching team.
During questions and brief discussion, a district coach who has worked in the district for 18 years expressed support, saying the program would be valuable for multi-sport athletes and for creating a welcoming environment for students. A board participant raised the possibility of integrating Unified Fitness for students with learning supports; Hoone and others agreed it could fit into the model, noting Unified Fitness typically "requires a minimum of 6 athletes," as mentioned in the discussion.
Financial details were discussed in outline only: a stipend figure of "$1,200 per season for each of the four seasons" was mentioned as comparable to an assistant coach’s single-season stipend. Hoone said he has prepared a program overview and policies and procedures and that the materials are available by email for board review.
No formal action on the program was taken at the meeting. The board proceeded to routine agenda review, and the chair announced an executive session after adjournment to discuss contracts and real estate; a motion to adjourn was moved and seconded on the record but the transcript does not include a recorded vote.
What’s next: materials Hoone referenced were available by email to board members for follow-up, and trustees indicated willingness to consider details such as certification steps, scheduling coordination and funding for stipends.
