Aztec High School opens summer weightroom, requires cleared physicals

Aztec High School is opening its weightroom for summer work, but the first hurdle is medical clearance. Beginning Monday, June 1, the weightroom will be open Monday through Thursday for AHS students, with four weekday workout blocks listed for girls and boys, and the district says no student-athlete may lift until a current physical has been uploaded and approved in Healthy Roster.

The requirement is tied to New Mexico Activities Association rules and the district’s summer athletics plan. Aztec Municipal School District said all student-athletes need a new athletic physical on file after the May 22 NMAA deadline to take part in summer athletic workouts, and a physical completed after April 1, 2026 should be sufficient for summer clearance. That paperwork matters because the district is using the offseason for more than weight training: summer workouts, open gyms, camps, team activities and strength-and-conditioning sessions are all part of the 2026 plan.

Families had already been pointed to a physicals clinic at Lilly White Gym on Monday, May 18. Doors and paperwork opened at 4:00 p.m., the clinic ran from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and the cost was $25 cash, with exact change preferred. The district’s athletics page also lists Healthy Roster as the system for athletic paperwork, making the clearance process formal rather than optional.

The summer push is not limited to Aztec High School. A related district post said Tiger Paws summer workouts for Aztec High and Koogler Middle School began Monday, June 1, with a parent meeting on day one. The district’s staff directory lists Michael Cowden in Strength & Conditioning/Team Sports, and San Juan County sports coverage identifies David Sweet as the athletic director, giving the program named leadership as it shifts from spring competition to summer preparation.

The effort sits alongside a broader support system for families. Aztec Municipal School District said free summer meals for children 18 and under run from May 27 through August 7, Monday through Friday, with no service on July 4. The district also participates in the Community Eligibility Provision for free breakfast and lunch during the school year, underscoring how athletics, nutrition and student access are being managed together as summer begins in Aztec.