GFS’ New Fitness Center Opens in Old Cafeteria

A version of this article was originally published in the Summer 2025 issue of the GFS Bulletin.

This spring, a fully renovated and impressively appointed fitness center opened in the lower level of the Main building.

The 4,000-square foot facility is the new home for GFS Strength & Conditioning, led by Physical Education teacher and Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, Matt Sheehan. The space is available to Middle and Upper School classes, fitness clubs, and Athletics teams, as well as faculty and staff.

The large, open space—where the old cafeteria once was!—features a slam wall, an open plyometric and core strengthening area, a cardio section with bikes and treadmills, and a fully accessorized Olympic lifting and free weights zone. 

"We've put a lot of thought and intention into the design of the Fitness Center to make sure there's plenty of room for functional training, like jumping, lunging, and core work," said Katie Bergstrom Mark, Director of Athletics at GFS. "There's also a focus on safety and orientation, so that our students can navigate gyms and weight rooms anywhere else they go."

The space will provide opportunities for Athletics teams to build up their fitness and enhance bonding experiences.  

“Strength training together is one of the most powerful ways to build team culture!” Bergstrom Mark said.

The Fitness Center also has short runways for track and field usage and an additional multipurpose space for meetings and mental performance coaching sessions. Other amenities, like central air conditioning, state-of-the-art flooring, and locker storage make it a comfortable, modern space for working out on campus.

Sheehan, who's been at GFS since 2018, said that one upgrade he's particularly excited about is the equipment for students to practice pull-ups. Using weight-bearing bands, Sheehan implements a progressive method to make this challenging move accessible to anyone, regardless of existing upper body strength.

"Pull-ups are so good for building strength but so many people, including myself, struggle with them!" he noted. "We haven't had access to a pull-up bar in two years, and I think it's going to be a great resource for our students to work on these."

With a new fitness environment, there's an opportunity to re-emphasize respectful and inclusive community norms that students can carry with them into other fitness contexts.

“It’s not a place where people are throwing down heavy weights and yelling,” Sheehan said. “I encourage everyone in here to pick up their heads, look around, and notice who else is using the space. They are learning to be good stewards of the equipment and develop an awareness of the way all of our actions affect the energy in the Fitness Center.”