Detroit — A student from Detroit Osborn High School approached Pistons staffers — most notably two-time NBA champion Earl Cureton — and thanked them for providing the school with a newly renovated weight room, which was unveiled Thursday in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
For the third consecutive year, the Pistons partnered with United Dairy Industry of Michigan and Planet Fitness to give a Detroit Public School Community District school a full weight-room makeover. Osborn, which is located on Detroit’s east side, was selected by DPSCD because of the out-of-date equipment in its facility.
The partnership brought new exercise machines and workout equipment to Osborn’s weight room, which is adjacent to the school’s gymnasium. UDIM also provided co-branded Pistons wall graphics, audio and video equipment and a “Milk Means More Fueling Station,” which will include milk and snacks for student-athletes to consume throughout the school year.
“I’m just as happy as they are for them to have a weight room,” Cureton said. “Imagine them not having a weight room. They participate in PSL football, basketball and they didn’t have a place to train at. think it was way overdue…Me growing up here — I went to Finney High School — just for them to have an opportunity to be on an equal playing field with other teams is great.”
In addition to the Pistons’ weight room renovation, the organization also spent the day at Osborn on Aug. 31 to conduct an all-staff day of service. The team helped improve the school by assisting with landscaping projects, building and painting planter boxes, painting lockers and other various projects around the school.
Osborn is the third school in the Detroit area to receive a weight room renovation, along with Denby and Detroit Western International.
Jaiden Mabins, 15, a sophomore, is happy but was also emotional when he saw the new workout space.
“When we just went in there, I started crying,” said Mabins, a multi-sport athlete who plays football, basketball and baseball. “It’s a blessing to get stuff like this. For me, I’m from 7 Mile and Van Dyke. I’ve never had anything like this … I’m excited because I’m about to live in the weight room.”
Chris Economeas, Pistons Director of Community and Social Responsibility, said the excitement was apparent throughout the reveal, as approximately 100 students, along with faculty and staff members, were in attendance for the ceremony.
“You can see the excitement when you come in and it’s not like they’re being forgotten about,” Economeas said. “When you bring in brand-new equipment and brand-new wall graphics and Hooper (the Pistons’ mascot), they’re going to leave here today and they’re just gonna be in a better mood. They’re going to be motivated for the school year. They’re going to be motivated for their sports seasons. They’re gonna be able to get in there and work out and utilize equipment that they’ve never had before. I think that’s the most impactful thing and the thing that makes this whole project special.”
mcurtis@detroitnews.com
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