Wow…..just…..WOW! That’s all we can really say here!! The University of West Florida’s new weight training facility catapults them right to the very top of the very best weight rooms in the entire country. Too much going on here, but to give the highlights: Custom Double Sided FTR Racks with Custom Graphics, Links with Custom Branding and Flat Screen TV Displays, Inlaid Platforms with PerformX Tracking System, Custom Logo and Color Bumper Plates, Custom Storage for Bumper Plates, Olympic Plates, Bands, DC Blocks, Combo Benches, etc. Every square inch of this facility was custom designed in some form or fashion. Coach Morgan and his staff were absolutely fantastic to work with as well. No doubt the Argonauts are set up for success for years to come.
Darrell Gooden Center
11000 University Pkwy, Pensacola, FL 32514
Pensacola, FL
Inside the University of West Florida weight room
The University of West Florida project in Pensacola centers on a highly customized collegiate training facility. The photos and video on this page document the finished training environment and show how equipment, storage, branding, and open floor area work together as one system. For coaches and administrators planning a similar project, the value of the gallery is in the relationships between those elements, not just in any single rack or machine.
Equipment and layout highlights
The room features custom double-sided FTR racks, branded links with flat-screen displays, inlaid platforms with the PerformX tracking system, custom logo and color bumper plates, storage for bumper plates, Olympic plates, bands and DC Blocks, plus combo benches. Each selection supports a specific job in the room. Primary lifting stations establish the main training lanes, benches and attachments expand exercise options, and dedicated storage keeps plates, bars, dumbbells, bands, and accessories close to where they are used. That organization can reduce unnecessary traffic and help a coaching staff move groups through training with fewer interruptions.
Design lessons from this project
The project demonstrates how rack configuration, technology, platforms, storage, and branding can be designed as a coordinated facility plan. Custom work is most effective when it supports training flow and gives every frequently used item a logical home. A productive layout begins with the program: expected group size, coaching sightlines, exercise flow, available square footage, ceiling height, entrances, turf or platform transitions, and the equipment the staff uses most often. Planning those details together helps prevent a room from becoming a collection of disconnected pieces.
Branding can reinforce identity, but it works best when it is integrated into functional equipment and durable surfaces. Graphic shields, logo platforms, upholstery, and coordinated colors give a facility a consistent appearance without replacing the practical work of spacing, storage, and equipment selection. The goal is a room that looks like the program and continues to operate efficiently during busy team sessions.
Planning a school or university weight room
Universities, football programs, and athletic departments preparing a large custom facility should begin by documenting how the room is used now and what needs to improve. List the number of athletes expected in each group, the movements that require dedicated stations, storage problems, accessibility needs, and any future expansion. From there, compare layouts by training capacity and workflow rather than by equipment count alone. A smaller number of well-planned stations can serve a program better than a crowded floor that limits coaching and movement.
Samson Equipment works with programs from early planning through manufacturing and installation. Explore our custom weight room solutions, review the design and manufacturing process, or start a conversation about your facility.
