As fans walk into the new gym to cheer on the Wildcats in Basketball, Volleyball, and Wrestling a big, new edition is seen by all.
This 65-inch touchscreen TV comes with the software where it can compile a bunch of information. It has multiple purposes with its main one being athletics, but also having academics and arts. It gives the school the chance to store a lot of information and over time keep track of different things. This list may include a team’s record and roster, displaying team photos and accomplishments, and showing different awards and college signings.
Athletic director Zac Heide was the mastermind behind adding the new technology. “It’s something I’ve been looking at ever since I took over three years ago. Around that time I was in Fox Chapel’s gym and I saw they had something like that. It had a good look to it,” said Heide.
With Steeler Night benefiting the school so much he finally had his chance. “I never had the opportunity to pull the trigger until this year. Using Steeler night money that we made, I was able to go ahead and purchase that and I think it’s something that’s going to be really cool to add to the gym lobby here as we kind of transform a few things out there,” said Heide. Other big innovations will be brought into the gym lobby as well. “We are getting new carpeting in there, have a TV screen up, and a new gym floor. I thought it was a really good time to bring that into it and to give a little more to it and add bling in the main gym lobby area.”
The completely new interactive TV can be used individually by whoever wants to go and access it. Currently, it is in the process of uploading information. A lot of time is going into uploading right now and Mr Heide is working on getting as much information as possible. Fall teams and photos should start to pop up and winter sports will soon follow when the season is underway. The current school year’s main focus will be adding this year’s information and when summer comes around the information will start to be uploaded from previous years.
As some may have noticed a trophy case has appeared to go missing in the hallway for about two weeks. “The trophy case is sitting right out in the lobby. The trophy cases that we took down had some boy’s basketball stuff and then it had some state place winners and photos and things. I think one had a little bit of a showcase of Doc Gibson in it, so we pulled those out. We’re going to repurpose the things that were inside of them and try to move those to another trophy case. We are trying to focus on main things like section championships, WPIAL championships, PIAA championships, county coaches championships, and those kinds of trophies. A lot of things that were taken out will also be incorporated into the TV as well. Under each sport, they will have their own page and the individual winners for WPIALs, sections, and PIAAs as well. We are basically trying to take everything in the gym lobby and throw it on that TV,” shares Heide.
Latrobe has taken a new look lately. With new renovations and technology, the place will soon be unrecognizable. “I think us incorporating everything together with the gym lobby is going to look nice. We’re going to put new carpeting down and with the new gym floor and the TV screen. I think this is going to become a stepping stone in the right direction for us to kind of get some things out of the way early so that when a project comes around, it’s more focused around the structure of the area,” said Heide.
Mr. Heide has big aspirations and ideas to help the process thrive. He plans to get a committee involved such as himself, Mr. Gus, principals, coaches, and administrators. He also plans to pick a male and female athlete of the year to recognize athletes for their achievements and nominate a coach of the year as well. When choosing these athletes, he plans on picking athletes not exactly from our current school year, as well as adding an inaugural Hall of Fame. For example, Arnold Palmer, which is a good show of our school’s history.
