Success Stories

Last month I got a caIl from Football Coach Travis Farrar of Springhill High School in Louisiana. He exclaimed, "Greg, we did it! We won the State Championship in front of 28,000 people at the Superdome in New Orleans! You know what it was? It was those 14 reps we did at the clinic! We were behind 14-0 at the half but the dream was still there and we still had a half left to complete our dream. Our kids came back and won it 19-14!" some weights. We are vitally concerned about the total person. We are dedicated to helping athletes succeed. When 1, Rick or Bob and now Stefan give an all day clinic we pour everything we have into this special day.

We are coaches helping coaches and athletes. Our goal is to help mentally and spiritually as well. Our real pay is when you coaches who have had clinics call us and tell us about your kids and your successes. Over fifty football coaches have now given us a call to say, "We did it! We won the State Championship!" Almost all coaches report an immediate improvement in their won-loss record. Even more important is the obstacles overcome and the individual success of the athletes involved. For us, it is impossible not to get very very emotionally involved. We start each BFS Clinic with the Box Squat. We try to pick out an athlete who has special intensity and spirit.

If he hasn't squatted before, it's OK. It doesn't matter. After coaching this athlete with great technique, we load up the bar with 355 to 405 pounds. We then ask him, "How many games do you have next year?" The normal response is, "10 Games." Then we say, "What about the play-offs?" Oh yeh, they respond, just like a light bulb had just been turned on. Naturally each state is different. Playoff games range in numbers from one to six. Whatever it is, we add that to the regular season games. If it's 14, we do 14 reps with the weight on the bar. The 14 reps represent the State Championship! We get everyone to stand in front of the athlete while he squats.

Everyone claps their hands in unison and everyone shouts the number of reps as they are completed up to fourteen. Each rep done is a victory' "One!" "Three!" "Two!" "Four!" Many times people just about go crazy during this wild time. Some of the efforts given have brought some tears and emotional highs. It is a period to remember and savor. Normally, everyone is successful and amazed at the same time. The fourteen reps represents the championship. The Dream! What's the use of working out, if you don't have a dream. A united dream. Everyone working together towards a common cause is a very powerful thing.

It makes coaching and athletic participation exciting, rewarding and Eight Stalli~ns from Springhill High School in Lo~i~i~n~ tied the BFS Clinic Record by Dead Lifting 500 or more. Pictured are front row L to R: James Bailey, Troy Skeesick, Chris McDonald, Mitch Rowe. Back Row: Greg Roath, Jason Wesson, John King, Brian Driskill and football- strength coach Billy Bell. fulfilling when you MAKE SUCCESS HAPPEN rather than waiting for success to come your way some day. Congratulations to Coaches Travis Farrar, Bill Bell, the rest of the Springhill Coaching Staff and most of all the Springhill players for making their success happen and the dream a reality.

Editor's Note: Billy Bell is the Strength Coach at Springhill. He has squatted 600 lbs. in competition inJhe 165 lb. class. Below is his letter. Dr. Shepard, Coach Farrar asked if I would write you a little follow-up story on the success of the Springhill Lumberjack Football Program this season following your clinic last spring. The season ended December 14th in the Louisiana Superdome with a State Championship for the Lumberjacks. The first state title for the school since 1952 when eventual Heisman Trophy Winner, John David Crow Jed the Lumberjacks to a gridiron title and the State Basketball Crown.

It was totally a team effort, down 14-0 with 1:39 to play in the 3rd quarter the kids really "laid it on the line," in a thrilling 4th quarter come-back that led to a 19-14 victory. Three young men from this squad received All-State honors (First Team) Sr. Tackle, John King, Jr. Def. End, Brian ~riskell, and Soph. Nose Man, Deon Grigsby. King and DrIskell were two of the eight to dead lift 500 + the day you were here. The little black kid that snatched the quarter from your hand also had a good year (Antho~y Evans). He averaged 126 yards a game rushing and scored 22 touchdowns. Thats not too bad for a Soph. Thanks for everything. The motivation of the kids was the difference.

Billy Bell Continued on Page 16 Greg & Bob, Just a note to let you know about our success since our clinic in 1984. The '84 Football Season we finished (7-2-1) and set many records. The '85 Season we finished (14-0) and won the Division II 'AAA' State Championship. Throughout the 4 game playoffs we played several state powers that many times out-weighed us 20 lbs.lman. We won the State Championship with an Off. Guard that weighed 145 lbs. But after 3 years on the Bigger Faster Stronger program he made the most of his ability because of the strength he developed (Bench 290, Squat 385). The Guard is just one of many examples. Thank you for your contribution to our program.

Sincerely, Lee Owens Gallion Football 1985 State Champs Head Coach SUCCESS AT CENTERBURG Dear Greg, Rick and Bob, The fall has passed, and the equipment has been put away. Centerburg High School just completed another successful football season, finishing with a 9-1 record, and winning the Mid-Buckeye Conference Championship for the second year in a row. It is now January, 1986, and our weight training and conditioning program is in full swing. I want to again thank each of you for your help and supportive words the past months helping us "strive to be the best we can be." It was last year at this time that I began passing out our new rep record books to a group of young, eager athletes.

In the months to follow, this group became a family, working and playing together, striving toward the common goal of being champions. During the football season of 1984-85, we at Centerburg were fortunate enough to have a very talented group of juniors and a dedicated group of seniors to lead us to a 9-1 championship season. At the end of that season, people began to speculate about this year. How good would we be? As we began lifting that winter, starting our new strength program (BFS), we knew the expectations would be high. While learning the BFS system through using the book and many phone calls to you three gentlemen, we began to learn how to dedicate ourselves to achieve our goals.

Many of our athletes braved the cold and snow to come into that weight room during the winter months. As spring came, our group had grown to 42 young men. In March, we attended a BFS clinic in Tiffin, Ohio. It was here that Coach Shepard had one of our linemen, Todd Smith, come down and demonstrate box squats. Coach Shepard put 3751bs. on the bar and asked Todd if he could do 5 reps. Todd did 5 and 5 more for good measure. Then Coach Shepard told Todd what a great job he had done. This was a real inspiration to that young man and to all our kids who attended. When we got back to lifting after that clinic, our purpose was set. We became a dedicated group.

Hours and hours of hard, hard work followed into the spring and through the hot summer, lifting, running, working as a family. Finally fall came and the 1985 edition of the Centerburg 16 Trojans Football Team under the guidance and direction of head coach, Dick Pierce took the field. We could not start practice until August 7th, so at 12:01 a.m., one minute after midnight on August 7th, we began. Well over 100 fans showed up at midnight to watch that first practice. Bouncing back after a loss in our second game, those young men went on to win 8 straight games and become Mid-Buckeye Conference Champions with a 9-1 record again.

A big step toward that championship was a game played at East Knox High School in Howard, Ohio. All week we had heard how the undefeated Bulldogs were going to humiliate us. They said they were going to destroy our tailback, Chuck Yough. As the week went on, our practices became more intense. When Friday night came, our kids had a tremendous attitude. As one of our captains said, "East Knox did all the talking; we'll talk with action on the field." It was a tremendous football game in front of an overflow crowd. The final score: 16-6, we won! Our tailback was not stopped, as he rushed for 131 yards. Chuck went on to have a 232 yard game later in the season.

At the end of that game, Chuck and his father walked off the field, both smiling from ear to ear. Chuck's dad shook my hand and said, "Box squats, Coach, box squats!" Box squats, Greg, box squats! Once again, thank you all three for your help. Looking forward to seeing you this spring! Many thanks, Steve White Ass't. Football Coach Strength Coach and Centerburg High School SUCCESS AT TIFFIN H. S. Congratulations to Tom Greer. Tom sponsored four BFS Ohio Clinics in successive years. Tiffin went 10-0 in regular season and made it to the playoffs for the first time in decades. Unfortunately they were stopped by Gallion in the Playoffs.

Continued on Page 52 BFS FLEXIBILITY MANUAL COST: Only $4.95 f* A Great Source of Flexibility Information All Flexibility Exercises are Demonstrated by Coach Rowbotham! Stick figure drawings are not used. Written for coaches in an easy to understand style! To order write:

P.O. Box 20612 Salt Lake City, Utah 84120 SUCCESS STORIES continued from Page 16 SUCCESS AT BROOKE H.5. Congratulations to Paul Billiard and his athletes who went on after their clinic to win the State Football Championship in West Virginia's largest classification.

SUCCESS AT VAN VLECK TEXAS October 30, 1985 Dear Bob, Rick and Greg, I just wanted to drop you a line to let you know how our football team is doing this year. As I told you, when we met at the N.5.C.A. Convention this summer, we have been on the BFS program since last November, and have continued with the in-season program outlined to me, by Bob, at the convention. As I write this, we have just beaten our third consecutive undefeated district opponent. Our record now stands at 7-0, and we are ranked 4th in the state of Texas in class 3A by the Associated Press (out of 207 3A schools) - the highest ranking a Van Vleck team has ever achieved.

This season, we have defeated 2 class 4A schools, 4 teams that were in the 1984 la offs, and 2 teams who were ranked MOTIVATION PACKET coS'l: $9.9'5 "Bt'l'ltR This Packet is designed for the extra effort coach who wants his program special. It contains the following:

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Many motivational ideas to stimulate enthusiasm for your 52 athletes, boosters and parents. in the top ten in the state this year. In one of those games against a top ten team, we won with our second string, sophomore quarterback playing three-fourths of the game. All with the same results - when it came down to the fourth quarter, we were quicker and stronger than our _ opponents. I mentioned to you at the convention that Van Vleck has a good number of natural athletes, and that winning is not unusual here. In fact, we have won the district championship 4 of the last 5 seasons. What we needed was that extra boost to make us an excellent team instead of just a very good one.

In the BFS program, I believe we have found it. When your athletes come to you during the football season, talking about how much stronger they are getting, then you know your program is working. This year, in Texas, there is a new state law called the no-pass, no-play rule. Where if a student fails one class, he then becomes ineligible for all extra-curricular activities for 6 weeks. I personally believe that the BFS program has benefitted our athletes in the classroom as well, because they refuse to let all of their hard work go in vain.

During the first 6 ~ weeks grading period, we lost no varsity players and only two junior varsity players to no-pass, no-play, which speaks highly of how hard our athletes are working in the classroom, as well. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Bob and Rick for taking the time, and in showing their personal interest, to sit down with me to answer several of my questions, and for outlining an in-season program to fit our limited time schedule. I will keep you updated as the state playoffs begin in two weeks on our program in our quest for the Class 3A State Football Championship!

December 12, 1985 Dear Bob, Rick and Greg, We have made it to the semi-finals now, and are working our hardest toward making our dream of a State Championship come true ' Our season record now stands at 13 wins, 0 losses, and the BFS in-season program is working superbly! Our players are getting bigger, faster and stronger as the season goes on. I think I can definitely say that without the BFS in-season program, we would not have the state's best defensive unit. Our last 3 victories have all been against teams ranked in the "top 6" in the state. These teams were extremely strong, but with our BFS program, we not only kept up with them, but also defeated them.

(In the final state ranking, we were ranked 4th.) Also of major importance and interest - We have not had any major injuries this year! I will have a success story for you after the season, as well as 2 nominations for All-American. Paul Lewis EDITOR'S NOTE: Van Vleck lost a very close game in the semi-finals. Their season was immensely successful. Now a new dream begins.

From BFS Magazine — March/April 1986. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).