Brookhaven Academy has a new addition to its football fieldhouse, a huge new weight training room. The 40 feet by 60 feetfacility houses the weight room that will be used by all athletesat BA.

Previously, the weight room was located in the west end of thegymnasium and had very little venolation. It was referred to as the”hot box”.

Now, that is all changed. With much needed space as well as thesupport of air conditioning, the athletes can work out any time ofthe year under pleasurable conditions.

“It was all done with individual money,” said Brookhaven Academyhead football coach Ray Ishee. “Jeff Gatlin spearheaded this thing.He was instrumental in getting this done. It went from the talkingstage to the building stage.”

Construction has taken about four months on the weight room. Theweight room includes new showers and new restroom facilities.

“Different people have donated things,” explained Ishee. “We arestill getting people donating things.

“It’s a really good facility,” added Ishee. “It gives our kids areally nice place to work out in.”

There is also a new roof on the field house. The outside andinside of the field house has been painted gray.

In back of the field house, new restroom facilities have beenconstructed on the new patio. A covering overlooks the concretewalkway facing the football field behind the stadium area.

“If you are going to have a first class program, you have tohave the facilities,” stated Ishee. “You build a first classprogram and it’s attractive to the students. We are looking formore participation from the students.”

BA athletic director Barry Gray is pleased with the new additionto the field house.

“One of the other things we are trying to do to enhance ourfacilities was the new weight complex,” said Gray. “We are pleasedwith the way it turned out. We’re hoping to get more attention fromthe county.

“We are looking to get more students outside the area attendingthe academy,” continued Gray. “We can get more kids working out atthat time.”

Members of the Cougar football team are already enjoying thebenefits of the new facility. The players report for the first dayof fall football practice on Monday, July 25.

“It’s good for the athletic program,” said senior lineman WesleyTaylor. “It’ll give the young kids a start. It’s real nice. It’sgood to work out in. We have good equipment.”

Cory Bailey, a junior lineman, agreed with Taylor.

“It was hot in the old weight room,” explained Bailey. “I thinkit (new facility) is good. Coach Ishee wanted one since he’s beenhere. We can practice inside doing lineman drills.”

Ishee said the school isn’t through with the upgrades at thefacility and the surrounding grounds.

“We still have things to do,” added Ishee.

Future improvements include new paving for the roads andlandscaping. The area of property between the football field andbaseball field is being worked on to become a new practice fieldfor the Cougars. In the past, the football team has had to use thebaseball field for practice.

The Cougars kick off their 2005 football season on Aug. 19, athome versus Copiah Academy.