Theodore L. Iorio Arena Builds Updated Weight Training Facility

NEW SULLIVAN STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ROOM MODELED ON HARVARD’S

When new boys’ hockey coach Paul Pearl arrived at Cushing Academy in the summer of 2021, he had a vision for an improvement that would bring the school’s already outstanding hockey program to the next level — an updated strength and conditioning room located inside Iorio Arena.

“Part of what we want to be able to provide our student athletes who play hockey is kind of a college experience before they get there,” Coach Pearl says. “A huge part of what makes a good college hockey player or pro hockey player is the weight training they do off the ice, and we try to provide that.”

Cushing has a full strength and conditioning room down the hill in Watkins Field House. But, between the boys’ and girls’ hockey teams, about 120 students spend most of their time in the winter at the hockey rink. Making that walk, especially during the cold winter months, is difficult. Coach Pearl thought an auxiliary option — not as big as the Watkins facility, but convenient enough to be an everyday option for hockey players — would be ideal.

Led by Conor Sheary ’10, a generous group including hockey alumni and families of hockey players donated to make sure the revamped

Sullivan Strength and Conditioning Room was completed before school opened this fall. “I think it speaks to Cushing’s commitment for us to develop these kids and get them ready for college, and it also speaks to the generosity of our alums,” Pearl says.

This new facility sets Cushing apart from other programs. “In terms of functionality for girls’ and boys’ hockey players, it’s a home run,” Pearl says. “I don’t think a lot of prep schools have that. It’s very college-ish in terms of what we were able to do. The room is very similar to the room we built at Harvard when I was there.”