The offseason for athletes is not as relaxing as it may sound. Watching film, weight lifting, conditioning/agility, being on a diet, and practicing are some of the more common activities athletes do in the offseason. The Redwing Way program at South focuses on two of the activities listed, weight lifting and agility. The weight lifting workouts consists of building muscle strength throughout the body and gaining flexibility which can help improve athletic performance. There is a set workout routine athletes follow that is designed to maximize their time in the weight room. The agility aspect of the Redwing Way focuses on improving running techniques and building stamina. Four days per week after school for about an hour and a half, 30-40 Redwings enter the South High fitness center and work to strengthen themselves each day. In summer, that number nearly triples as student athletes dedicate part of their summer to come to South and participate in the Redwing Way program. A four-year football player and a three-year track athlete, Senior Evan Horen thinks weight lifting has helped him tremendously as he stated,

“I believe I got better each year from lifting and building relationships with my teammates in the weightroom. It is great to see the commitment in the weightroom everyday and how my classmates want to get better at what they do.” The leader of the Redwing Way is Coach Chris Korff, a Physical Education teacher within the Sheboygan Area School District. Korff is very familiar with South High Athletics, he has been with the football program for nearly ten years. He has also been the head coach of tennis and golf at South High School. Korff is very enthusiastic by what he see from the student athletes and shared,

“It’s encouraging to see the athletes that take advantage of the opportunity to get better at their individual sport.  To be good at something takes hard work, and the athletes that participate in the Redwing Way understand this.  The off-season is the key to any athlete’s success.  All teams work hard once the season starts, but those that put forth the work in the offseason are the ones that will typically be the most successful.”

Student athletes gain more than muscle from the program, they gain relationships with other students that have similar goals as them. These relationships can carry on more than high school sports, Sophomore Carlos Tellez stated,

“I transferred to South this year and participating in the Redwing Way program has allowed me to make new friends that I maybe wouldn’t have if I didn’t participate. It’s great because walking through the halls I feel connected with the South community by having the opportunity to be involved.” The Redwing Way is another example of how South High School is committed to its students by giving them opportunities to succeed and wanting what is best for them. The Redwing Way program started back in 2013 and the numbers have continued to grow each year since.