It’s Saturday. You have left an important book in your locker and head to school to get it. In the parking lot, you see about 20 cars. What are they doing here? No, they are not at school to learn algebra or finish a Chem lab.

They are at the school’s gym doing strength and conditioning with coach Rod Miller.

On many days after school and many times on the weekend, the ODA weight room is a hopping place. When you first walk in the weight room, you see that it is jam packed with some loud music, sounding like Club Tantra. When you step foot inside and you hear the loud music playing and feel it hit your body. Your blood vibrates. This excitement has you fired you up and you are ready to go, seeing everyone else in the weight room working out. You drop your bag and head over to the Squat Bar to get to work.

But you hear a voice calling your name. It’s Rod Miller.

“You have to stretch before you start working out. I don’t want you to pull any muscles,” he calls out.

Who is Rod Miller? Rod has been training for 15 years and is certified by the largest governing organizations in fitness: United States of America Track & Field (USATF), National Association of Speed & Explosiveness (NASE), and the American Association Fitness Professionals (AAFP). To this day, Rod is still learning more strengthening and conditioning exercise to better the student-athlete.

“Strength and conditioning is the elite way of training. The best way to approach for people to reach their full physiological, and performance potential,” says Rod.

Rod works closely with another ODA physical trainer, Kathina Sheets.

Kathina does not do this job just for the fun of it; she  also does it for the community. She loves help people by making them feel better after an injury ASAP. She has been a trainer for 14 years and has a bachelor degree national board of certification.

Not looking to simply get more fit but looking to strengthen your muscles after an injury? Rod and Kathina can also help re-build your muscles and show you different ways to prevent the same injury by using stretches to help the injury heal.

“During my basketball season she was provided me with different stretches for my knee. Which helped me finish out the season,” says sophomore Serena Feeney

As an athlete, these are the injuries that will set you back from being excellent to being bad.

“After my knee surgery Rod worked with me and motivated me to become the player I am now after my surgeries,” says junior Tess Siciliano.

Having someone like Rod and Kathina support students in their wellness goals is one of the many benefits we have as ODA students. There is no cost for Rod’s incredible support.

If you have not seen or meet them, go introduce yourself.

“I think Kathina is very helpful, and always there when we need help,” says junior Emily Dixon