Iola High School and middle school athletes saw the results of their effort in the weight room this summer during Thursday’s Night of Champions.
As part of the event, athletes tested their strength and conditioning progress, giving coaches a preview of emerging talents ahead of the 2025-2026 athletic year.
“I’m extremely proud of them. The guys have been here all summer busting their butts, and it showed,” Iola strength and conditioning coach Beau Foster said. “Kevon Loving and B.J. Seance are just two examples of that. Kevon worked hard on his feet, and it was displayed tonight. B.J. has been busting his butt on the squat, and you saw that.”
Loving, an IHS sophomore, kicked off the event in dramatic fashion after clocking a sub-5-second 40-yard dash with a blistering time of 4.6 seconds. He also posted personal records for the bench, squat and the clean.
“It made me feel good about myself, and more confident,” Loving said. “You start off, and then you put in the work – the hard stuff you don’t want to do. It pays off and puts you in a better position.”
Seance, a sophomore, has also seen significant gains this offseason. He wrestled varsity his freshman year but had never participated in summer strength and conditioning. Leaving Thursday’s Night of Champions much stronger than he was on the mat in February, Seance cleared a 330-pound squat.
“I came here to work, so I’m happy,” Seance said. “I felt pretty strong, but I know I can lift more. This is just the beginning. It will help a lot. It can help my teammates.”
While proud of how his athletes progressed, Foster believes Thursday was only a benchmark for the future. With the beginning of the fall sports season limiting athletes on the time they can spend in the weight room, he hopes the program has instilled good habits.
“I was pleased with both the boys and girls,” Foster said. “We’ll have a strength program throughout the year during the school day, as well as our powerlifting team. There are plenty of opportunities for kids to grow.”
