The OAKFIT Sports Performance and Fitness Training Gym is an elite facility designed to bring out the best in any athlete. With a vibrant culture and detailed, individualized coaching, OAKFIT has been consistent in fulfilling this mission time and time again. Within its community are many Marksmen athletes, who have grown exponentially through OAKFIT’s guidance.
Junior Rocco Renda has been an OAKFIT athlete since eighth grade. After suffering a bone bruise in his right knee, his pediatrician gave him a list of places to help him recover and he put his trust in OAKFIT.
“What makes (OAKFIT) stand out is how much they really care about you. It’s not just a regular gym where they just throw a program at you and you just do it,” Renda said. “They really want you to get stronger, they want you to get faster and they really care about each and every individual athlete.”
Renda believes that the urgency for improvement that OAKFIT instills is essential to becoming a collegiate or professional athlete, and he credits a lot of his current skill in lacrosse to the gym.
“I’ve improved drastically speed-wise, I think weight gain was a huge piece cause it was one of my goals and OAKFIT gave me stuff to gain weight,” Renda said. “The biggest thing is definitely strength and training on a regimen that’s tailored to me helped me a ton.”
According to coach Rob Merckling, speed and strength have been a source of pride for the gym.
In Merckling’s eyes, the delicate balance between the two is indispensable to an athlete’s performance.
“We have implemented new and improved evaluation and training techniques along with innovative technology to help all of our athletes become both fast and strong,” Merckling said. “Improving both of these qualities will provide the means to stay healthy and succeed at all levels.”
Despite the excellence of OAKFIT, what holds it together is the commitment of the community.
The coaches are trained to elevate clients of all body types, but what matters most is within.
“An ideal athlete is someone who works hard, stays committed, and is always open to learning and improving,” coach Caleb Jonas said. “At OAKFIT, we help develop these qualities by creating personalized training programs that build both physical strength and mental toughness. Through a mix of hard work, teamwork and a supportive environment, we guide people to grow into confident and skilled athletes.”
It’s not like OAKFIT’s influence is limited purely to sports. Renda compares OAKFIT to a brotherhood centered around the ideal of cultivation. Everyone who comes into contact with the gym is cared for, and the connections between coaches and athletes run deeper than most.
“As a coach at OAKFIT, my favorite part is building strong relationships with the athletes and their families,” coach Lindsay Dobson said. “Maintaining these connections and supporting their growth both in the gym and during games is incredibly rewarding.”
OAKFIT is a place whose importance transcends its size. It has reshaped the path of St. Mark’s athletics through its impact on many of its best performers. The most exciting thing is that the depths of that impact have not been fully realized yet. As the gym and its clients continue to grow, the standards for athletes will reach unprecedented levels.