Submitted photos – The new CPH Athletic Performance Center will host the Lumberjack Iron Summer Program for local high school athletes this summer.

By Ray Hamill — A great local sporting tradition that has benefitted numerous Humboldt County athletes over the years is set to return to the North Coast this summer.

Cal Poly Humboldt strength and conditioning coach Drew Petersen is bringing back the Lumberjack Iron Summer Program, giving local high school athletes the opportunity to train with one of the most respected college weight room coaches on the West Coast.

Lumberjacks athletic director Nick Pettit recently gave the green light to re-start the program, which ran for 26 years from the early 1990s up until 2018.

And the summer camp will be free for any H-DNL athletes interested in participating.

“It’s a labor of love for me and I look forward to teaching these kids and it will be fun to bring back,” Petersen said. 

The camp is scheduled to run for five weeks from July 8 through Aug. 9 from 8 to 10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

However, the initial response has been so positive in just the first few days that Petersen is looking to increase the number of camp spots from 60 to 75 and add Tuesdays and Thursdays to the schedule.

“It’s filling up pretty quick,” the legendary Lumberjacks coach said.

According to Petersen, the camp will accommodate athletes from multiple different sports with a focus on educating them about strength and conditioning.

“I don’t crack the whip,” he said. “I’m really trying to educate and teach so they understand what they’re doing, and to let them be educated on how this works and why this works. We want it to be an educational experience.”

The camp will be held in the new Cal Poly Humboldt Athletic Performance Center, which opened earlier this year.

“This is for everybody that wants to be a better athlete,” Petersen added. “We don’t make them better at their sports, we make them better athletes.”

The summer camp originally began in 1993 and benefitted several local athletes up until 2018.

“It has a long legacy,” Petersen said. “There were some amazing people that came through it in the past and it was fun to do. 

“It’s great for injury prevention and longevity.”

Athletes who do sign up are encouraged to attend as often as possible, although Petersen says he understands that family vacations and other summer commitments can impact that.

“I hope the kids will sign up and understand it’s consistency that makes this work,” he said.

For more information on the camp or to sign up, anyone interested can log on to the camp web site or contact Petersen at ajp3@humboldt.edu  or (707) 826-4519.