Coaches Thomas Scott and MacLean Wade, known to most as Coach T and Mac, are a key pillar to LHP’s increasingly excellent athletics program, serving as the two weightlifting instructors here at LHP. As the athletics program continues to evolve, it is incredibly important that our athletes have the best training possible. Within the past 10 years at LHP these coaches have been partially responsible for 37 separate state championships across all of the sports offered at the school. These incredible feats were only possible due to their constant and dedicated efforts in regards to training student athletes. Coach T has trained 21 separate Olympic teams and continues to have connections with numerous Olympic programs. All of this to say, our athletic coaches here at LHP are some of the best and continue to help us pull ahead of other schools in the Central Florida area regarding athletics.
Among the student athletes at LHP there is a great amount of trust in these two coaches. As a result of their efforts, Ethan Mendez, grade 9, was able to “Excel physically” at this summer’s New Balance Nationals Track and Field Meet. With the help of these two coaches, the gym has become a significantly more inclusive place to improve as an athlete. In stark contrast to the gym culture before COVID, underclassmen and Middle Schoolers are now able to freely and safely workout without having to be part of a varsity program. Coaches T’s and Mac’s consistent efforts have allowed students to find their confidence, push their limits, and explore weightlifting safely.
The coaches’ impact does not just spread across singular athletes, but across entire teams as they work their way towards bringing another title to LHP. A part of the recent success our football team has had is a direct result of the continued effort of both strength and conditioning coaches to prepare our Highlanders for a season full of historically strong programs. During the 2020 and 2021 seasons, LHP football achieved two consecutive state championships under a model of continued student effort and meticulous planning on the part of our two sensational weightlifting coaches. Jonah Shuman, grade 9, shared how he thinks this model is part of what he believes will continue to make their team successful. As their season progresses, their effort will dictate their success under the guidance of Lake Highland’s two premier strength and conditioning coaches. From training Olympians to our most acclaimed student-athletes, the future of LHP’s athletics program is looking bright with these two at the helm of strength and conditioning.
