Northwest opened its new gym and hosted its first game on Jan. 19 against West. The updated gym has created many changes.

“We have some more space for cheerleading or other teams to practice on the upper deck behind the bleachers, brighter, nicer, it’ll hold more people,” athletic director Lance Deckinger said. “The new track makes it good for all P.E. classes, place for teams to workout with.”

The Northwest gym has many benefits to athletes, students, and teachers alike, including more space for students. Now the athletes can practice at the same time in the different gyms.

“Before we couldn’t practice at the same time as the boys so our practices were longer,” sophomore Lucy Herter said. Now we can leave way earlier.”

The athletic teachers have had to adjust to construction and now moving between the old and new gym but even they have no complaints as the gym is finally accessible.  

“It affected all of us, but in education you have to be flexible, patient, you have to roll with what happens and we did a good job with that,” gym teacher Jim Mernaugh said. “We get to spread out, we can have one class in the old gym and one in the new gym, another class in the weight room, and the more space. The new gym is beautiful.”

Even though the gym is being used, it is still not entirely finished yet because the old gym is still being transformed into a new weights room.

“The gym’s not finished yet,” Deckinger said. “All the things aren’t done in it, but we’re playing in it right now. Everything at Northwest High school should be done by June.”