When the calendar turned to June, hundreds of Killeen ISD high school and middle athletes flipped the switch to work mode and dedicated a couple hours four days a week to voluntary strength and conditioning sessions.
Whether it was squatting a max weight, hopping over hurdles, crunches, pushups, sprinting around cones or beefing up biceps, getting stronger and faster was the name of the game. And with August and the 2026-2027 school year fast approaching, the time is now to start showing off the golden gains.
“This has been one of the biggest and most successful summer sessions at Harker Heights,” Knights football head coach and campus coordinator for athletics Mark Humble said. “It has been exciting to work with our current Knights and future Knights all together, from seventh to 12th grade, on a daily basis and rewarding to see our kids’ improvement in the two months of summer as they prepare for success in their upcoming seasons.”
From swimmers to free safeties, athletes representing every sport took advantage of the opportunity to put themselves in position to succeed by showing up early, often, and when the temperature turned up.
Ellison football head coach and campus coordinator for athletics Danny Servance said about 80 football players would show up for the voluntary workouts but the total number of athletes across all girls and boys programs stood out the most.
“I’ve really been impressed with the number of kids we’ve had involved, and we keep expressing to them that the hard work will show,” Servance said.
The University Interscholastic League, which governs all Texas public school athletics and other extracurricular activities, allows for up to 2 hours per day of voluntary strength and conditioning sessions and an additional 90 minutes of sport-specific skill instruction during the summer offseason.
“We were encouraged by the Roo Dawgs who showed up consistently this summer. We saw players show up for themselves and their teammates while laying the foundation of what will become Roo Nation,” KHS football head coach and campus coordinator for athletics Roderick Sneed said. “Every program got one percent better each day they put in work.”
Fields, weight rooms and gyms at the district’s high school campuses were certainly busy throughout June and July, though it wasn’t always just about speed and power.
The daily workouts also were vehicles for team bonding, camaraderie and, in the case of some of the younger participants, a glimpse into the necessary effort needed to reach the ultimate goal.
“The middle schoolers had the opportunity to meet with current Grey Wolves and experience what it means to work as a Grey Wolf,” Shoemaker track and field coach and campus assistant coordinator for girls athletics Cion Hicks said. “It was neat to see the mental fortitude that was built and the physical growth and development.”
During the 2025-2026 school year, 11 KISD teams produced district titles while many more individuals in sports such as wrestling, golf and track and field also secured league crowns.
And it all started in the summer.
“Summer is a great time for coaches and athletes to build relationships, work together, and continue growing,” Chaparral softball head coach and campus assistant coordinator for girls athletics Jessica Harborth said. “Our athletes showed a lot of determination and commitment this summer, and we’re excited to see what they do with it going into the 2026-27 school year.”
The fall sports season is up first, featuring team tennis, volleyball, cross country, golf and football.
Schedules can be viewed on RankOne.