Out with the old, in with the new; Chargers donate equipment to schools

With a new strength and conditioning staff comes a new philosophy.

And with a new philosophy comes new equipment.

That’s why on multiple moving trucks and personnel were on hand recently to remove the old equipment to make room for the brand new ones the Chargers are bringing in.

“Every time you have a change, you kind of have a shift philosophically in what you want to do,” said new Strength and Conditioning Coach Kent Johnston. “A lot of the new things and equipment that we want to get in are because of what we want to accomplish. It’s because of what we believe in doing as a staff to train guys and prep them to first of all avoid injury , that’s the primary task, and second of all to improve their performance on the field.”

So what will the Chargers do with the old equipment that is still in good condition?

The team is donating the free weights and workout machines to the San Diego Unified School District. On hand to oversee the removal of the equipment and transportation to the schools, which include Hoover High, Crawford High School and Scripps Ranch High School, was Bruce Ward, Director of Physical Fitness and Athletics for the District.

“I got a call from the Chargers and they said they had some weight equipment and asked if we would be interested,” he said. “Of course we were. So I came and looked at it and they told us what they had and here we are now.”

Ward has dealt with numerous professional teams over his tenure, but he says the philanthropic nature of the Bolts blows the other teams out of the water.

“I’ve been in three states and fortunate to work with a number of organizations, and people don’t realize the Chargers are more giving than any pro team that I’ve ever seen in any of the states I’ve been in,” he said. “They are all about the students and their achievement not only physically but academically too.”
Johnston, who is just a month into his tenure as the Chargers new strength and conditioning coach, is also impressed by the generosity of the Chargers in deciding to donate this equipment.

“I think it says a lot about the organization,” he said. “It shows how it is a community oriented organization and how they are looking out to better the schools, the kids and the community here in San Diego.”

Courtesy chargers.com