Beyond Athletics
Pleasant Grove's New Facility Focus on Relationships, Growth, Discipline, and Belief
Pleasant Grove has had a lot to be proud of under the direction of head coach Josh Gibson, and many would say that the new athletic facility may just be the biggest achievement yet. It’s state-of-the-art in every way, but to Coach Gibson, the most important part is how the facility can serve the kids. “Probably one of the most important pieces is right when we walk in the door. In the foundation, there is a Bible that was placed here when they were pouring the slab. We put one here in the front and another one in the varsity locker room. They are here to remind us what our purpose is when we come in, and that is to grow people and grow them the right way. And to do it in a way that honors God,” remarked Coach Gibson.
Downstairs, the focus was functionality for the sports medicine students and their teacher, Stephanie Bridges. “This is one of the largest training rooms in the state,” Coach Gibson noted, pointing to the specialty tables and chairs around the perimeter. “It has a variety of different styles of training tables to accommodate different types of care needed.” Along one side, the classroom is flanked by a glass wall, giving students and trainers an amazing view of the field from the north end zone where the facility is situated. In the center are movable tables that make it adaptable for collaborative learning and student-athlete care. Adjacent to the large classroom are several other spaces needed by student trainers. One is a storage area with a garage door that opens up straight to the field. Here, there are all the water systems and other equipment needed on Friday nights. Another room on this level of the facility holds a large hot tub that can be used for both hot and cold therapy. “We were going to have two regular stainless steel whirlpools, but then we found this online. It’s a hot tub that also goes down to 38 degrees and can be used for cold plunges as well as knee and ankle care,” said Coach Gibson.
Walking across the hall from the Sports Medicine area is a room that has the students especially excited. “This was actually an afterthought. It was going to be a two-person office, but we didn’t need the office space, so we changed it to be an impact room for our kids who go above and beyond. We have seven arcade games, two massage chairs, and a PlayStation game system with a seat. Then, there are two gaming chairs and a second PlayStation that goes on the big screen. Of course, it looks right out on the field, and right now, there are only about ten kids allowed in here daily,” shared Coach Gibson. He further described how one of the students earned access to the room by consistently picking up trash in the cafeteria each day after lunch, which is an expectation for all the athletes. Still, this student also regularly offers to take the trash out to the dumpsters for the janitors. Besides being used as a reward system, the space is also used for culture nights and team parties by various athletic groups around campus. Rounding out the downstairs portion of the facility are the Varsity and Junior Varsity boy’s locker rooms on one side and the visitor’s locker room on the other.
Heading upstairs to the second level, there is a large central room with a serving area that will have a variety of uses. Everything from team dinners to staff professional development meetings is already being scheduled in the space. Off to one side is a special VIP room, complete with a balcony to look out onto the field. Coach Gibson also plans to use it as a breakout room. On the other side of the second floor are the coaches’ offices. As it turns out, Coach Gibson has had the opportunity to add seven former PG student-athletes to his staff. Out of the seven, all played in state championship games in either football or baseball, and six of them were coached directly by Coach Gibson. “They have grown up so much. They’re really intentional and relational with the kids,” said Gibson, “Trey Hart is the only one I didn’t coach, but I built a relationship with him when I got here and recruited him back. Joe Pearlman was here for my first two years. Aaron Harmon, TJ Cole, and Luke Harmon were all incoming 9th graders when I got the job at PG, and they helped lead us to our first state title in football in 2017. Ben Harmon and Blake Slade were incoming seventh graders when I started, and they were part of all three teams that went to state championships in football. [Having them back] is really the best part.”
“I think this last room is the best. I consider it our team room because it’s where we’ll meet the most,” explained Gibson about the film room, “and it’s what really separates this facility.” He then talked about the four core values of the program— relationships, growth, discipline, and belief. The coaching staff is intentional in building relationships with the kids and helping them foster growth in all areas of their lives. They do so in a disciplined environment, creating belief first in themselves and building a healthy selfconcept, believing in the program and that they’re doing things a little differently, and trying to take care of every student as a whole person. Gibson summed it up as, “It’s not just about growing our football team. It’s about growing ourselves as people, growing ourselves as teachers, growing our spiritual life, growing our servant-oriented part, and growing facilities. That’s what our program is really about.”
The new athletic facility at Pleasant Grove stands as a testament to these values, offering not just state-of-the-art amenities but a space designed to foster personal growth and community spirit. With this new addition, Coach Gibson and his team are well-equipped to continue their legacy of excellence and holistic development for years to come.
