As summer comes into full swing, many students search for ways to stay healthy during the summer break. One way to do this is signing up for ACC, otherwise known as Arrowhead Conditioning Camp, at the high school.

The camp takes place Monday thru Thursday between the dates of June 11th through July 19th. Juniors and seniors workout from 6:30am to 8:15am, while freshman and sophomores workout from 8:30am to 10:15am.  

Even though the camp is already underway, students can still join in by going in for a camp trial day to see if you enjoy the workouts, then talking to Varsity Football Coach and head of ACC, Fritz Rauch about signing up. The fee for the camp is $100.

“The total doesn’t really matter in the end,” states senior football player Cole Baumgartner. “The money goes towards better equipment for our weightroom to better fit those who attend the camp, so it does not only benefit the arrowhead facilities, it benefits how individuals get their best workouts.”

The camp description on the Arrowhead High School website states that this program is “designed with NX Level’s (a local gym in the waukesha area) ‘holistic’ approach to training athletes from all abilities and sports to improve speed, flexibility, strength, kinesthetic awareness, and body composition.” Since NX Level has partnered with ACC this year, athletes such as Baumgartner believe that “the intensity of the workouts has increased, and it really makes you want to try harder.”

The camp was started by coach Tom Taraska when he joined the football coaching staff in 1982. The Arrowhead coaching staff of various sports, such as football, basketball, and volleyball, lead the students in their different exercises they accomplish in their 1 hour and 45 minute workout period.

Meghan Wieczorek, a senior who has participated in the ACC program every summer since freshman year, summarizes that on an average day of ACC, students participate in a mix of core workouts, speed and agility courses, and weightlifting in Arrowhead’s very own weight room.  Wieczorek states that, “It doesn’t matter how much weight you lift or how fast you are, the coaching staff and everyone there support each other 100%.”

“The coaches really teach about leadership as well at the camp,” says senior Matthew Freid. “They organize meetings to help us become better student leaders, not just better athletes.”

The Arrowhead conditioning camp provides the student body with the opportunity to not only work on  physical fitness, but also to have the opportunity to work shoulder to shoulder with any Arrowhead high school student, athlete or not.

“Arrowhead Conditioning Camp is made by the students,” says Baumgartner, “If there wasn’t an interest in ACC, it wouldn’t even exist.”