In 2013, Joelyn Boone started at Perry by helping with the football team which eventually led to her position as the first female weights coach. Principal Serrano, knowing Coach Boone’s background, eventually asked her to start the strength program for all the sports, which for the first time, also included girls’ sports. While the weight room is now open for everyone that was not how it was back in 2013 when it was mostly dominated by the football players.

Interestingly enough, one of the main concerns when Coach Boone first started was, ‘Would the girls have time to do their hair and makeup?’

Coach Boone says, “Well, I thought, that’s crazy, that’s an obstacle to taking a sports performance program that you’ve never had the option to take?”

The issue proved to be as superficial as it sounds. After two weeks of starting the program that concern was never heard from again. “It’s almost like women are our own worst enemy sometimes,” Coach Boone explained, “It’s almost like they prevented themselves from doing the program for something that really isn’t that much of a concern.

When she was fifteen, Coach Boone joined a gym without much of a care for the social norm of that time. “You know, when I was in high school, girls were not allowed in the weight room,” and because of this, she began lifting in the gym. Rather than be disheartened by the fact that she was the only female in the gym, she persisted by continuing to do what she wanted to do.

“Are guys stronger than girls? Yes, but does that mean we train them any differently? No.” Coach Boone says that every person is trained with an equal amount of intensity and it never has been, nor ever will be, any different.

Coach Boone, being one of the few female coaches, is constantly asked the question, ‘are you treated with the same amount of respect as any male coach?’

One of Coach Boone’s weight students, Obinna Nwankwo says, “Yes, we all give Coach Boone her due respect, it doesn’t matter if the person teaching you is male or female, if they have the knowledge, then they have the knowledge, and Coach has the knowledge.”

Coach Boone serves as a prime example for someone who is easily judged but has more knowledge than the next person. Daneli Reynoso is an excellent model for this as well. She is, according to Coach Boone, one of the strongest female girls on campus.

Daneli explains a fantastic mindset for all females: “Girls can’t be afraid to try lifting, doesn’t matter how you look or who’s in the class, you’re doing it for you,” Coach Boone has defied the social standard that women do not belong in the weight room since she was a high school student herself. She continues to be an example and role model through her coaching work here at Perry.