There are so many opportunities that I can get here that I am not able to get anywhere else.
For Evan Treese ’28, becoming an Iron Falcon has been about much more than lifting heavy weights. As a member of the Peddie baseball team, Treese has spent three years developing his strength, speed and power in the weight room while learning the importance of consistency, discipline and general wellness.
Treese’s family has heavily influenced his journey to becoming an Iron Falcon. His older brother, Luke, and sister, Anna, are both Iron Falcons and inspired him to take his training seriously.
“As Iron Falcons themselves, both Luke and Anna were the ones that got me serious into lifting,” Treese said. “They taught me a lot of what I know and were good role models to me.”
That family influence, combined with Treese’s own commitment to training, helped establish the foundation for his success. He identified consistency as one of the most important lessons he has learned during his time in the weight room.
“My advice for aspiring Iron Falcons is to just get better a little bit every day,” he said. “Some days you don’t have it, but remaining focused on your goals is what makes you better.”
That determined mindset is reflected in Treese’s training history. Over the course of three years, his TeamBuildr data demonstrated steady, gradual progress across his strength, speed and power exercises. It’s a development that Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Volkmar has watched firsthand.
“Evan’s success was nearly inevitable,” said Volkmar, citing Treese’s Iron Falcon lineage. “To his credit, he truly put in the work.”
Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Zoe Necerato praised Treese’s commitment to the process. “Evan’s consistency and effort in the weight room is a testament to what our Iron Falcon program is all about,” she shared. “He’s a great example of what happens when you pair talent with hard work as an athlete. With each training session, Evan sets the bar higher for himself. It’s been so cool watching him achieve his Iron Falcon goals!”
Treese’s dedication has led him to discover the variety of training benefits that not only are visible within the weight room, but also on the baseball field. The connection between the weight room and sport is a central aspect of Peddie’s Strength and Conditioning program. The goal isn’t simply to make athletes stronger in the weight room, but to help them become better, more powerful and prepared athletes on the field.
“The weight room has helped me a lot in baseball,” he said. “Lifting has made me both faster and stronger. I throw and hit the ball much harder. It has also helped me remain consistent and disciplined.”
Treese’s favorite exercise is the split squat, which he appreciates for its simplicity and effectiveness. “It’s simple. I like how it just works the legs without too much technique involved,” he said.
His most difficult Iron Falcon achievement, however, wasn’t a strength exercise. It was his “Flying 10” ten-yard sprint, a training test used to discover an athlete’s maximum running speed.
“It took a lot of sprints over the summer to gain the speed I needed,” Treese said.
His hard work ultimately paid off as he achieved a 19.1 mph Flying 10, making the speed test his defining Iron Falcon moment.
After three years of training, Treese has also learned that becoming a better athlete isn’t just about what happens during a workout.
“Some advice I would give to my freshman self is the importance of taking care of your body outside of the weight room,” he said. “You have to be making sure you’re sleeping, eating right and anything else to make sure you can perform your best.”
Treese’s mindset reflects the bigger picture of athletic development: training is only one piece of the puzzle. Recovery, nutrition, sleep, academics and time management all contribute to an athlete’s ability to perform. Treese now views the weight room as a place where athletes can challenge themselves, work toward goals and support one another.
He has a simple message for younger students who may feel nervous about entering the weight room: “Everyone in the weight room has the same goal as you: to get stronger. There are many people in the weight room that will help you get started like Coach Volkmar and Coach Zoe. The best reason is because lifting is fun.”
Created by Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Volkmar, the Iron Falcon program was designed to bring healthy competition and goal-setting into the Peddie weight room.
The program establishes varsity-level standards for foundational strength, power, speed and bodyweight exercises. Standards are based on an athlete’s body weight, allowing athletes of different sizes and weight classes to compete against one another through relative strength.
Athletes track their progress through the TeamBuildr app, creating a record of their development throughout their Peddie careers.
Ultimately, becoming an Iron Falcon is about more than reaching a collection of numbers. An athlete earns the distinction through a combination of weight room performance, consistency, discipline and scholarship.