Arthur, Illinois
By Harry Kunsch Football Coach Arthur, Illinois Editor's Note: Bob Rowbotham conducted a BFS Clinic at Arthur High School. Congratulations to Coach Kunsch and Dan Gordon in fulfilling their goals with total commitment. When I first met Dan he was a freshman and I was in my first year at Arthur High School. We have a small enrollment of about 146 in a small town of about 2000 population. Anyway Dan stood about 5-7 and weighed only 115 pounds. However, Dan did have good speed (4.9-40) and exceptional quickness. He used these qualities and a willingness to hit to earn a varsity letter as a freshman playing in the defensive secondary.
After that freshman season Dan and some of his classmates came into the weight room and asked me what they could do to improve themselves. Their freshman year was 0-6 at the JV level and in 4 games they were beaten by more than 38 points. I told them they needed to start lifting and training to improve athletic abilities. So Dan and some of his buddies started lifting on a program I made up for them. Dan's family cleared out their garage and turned it into a weight room. During Dan's sophomore year I became acquainted with ideas into our lifting program. As you can see, once Dan started lifting on the BFS program, he had good results. It was then I also became the varsity head football coach.
Dan Gordon now plays football at Millikin College, a Division III school in Decatur, Illinois. Dan has received outstanding reviews from his college coach Carl Poelker. The next two years produced two 6-3 seasons. Dan led us to a great season as we missed the conference championCoach Kunsch and Dan Gordon. ship by only 3 points. We are by far the smallest school in the conference. We came a long long way. Dan lettered as a freshman playing outside linebacker and playing on special teams. Coach Poelker stated "Dan's progress has been amazing both as a player and a young man. He is developing better than we anticipated.
His outstanding strength, quickness and speed are what enabled him to accomplish great things. Dan has already tied our college record this past spring on our agility course." Dan just recently won the Illinois State Teenage Powerlifting Championship. This summer he continues to improve. He is now a solid 210 pounds and Benches 385 and Dead Lifts 650! In conclusion, I feel Dan is an outstanding young man as well as an athlete. He was very coachable and took criticism well. Dan was also a B student. He was also a hard worker, lifted year around and always pushed himself to be better. Continued on next page. Dan's top Squat is now 515.
He was a 2nd team BFS 83-84 High School All-American football player.
Dan Gordon's top Bench: 365!
DAN GORDON'S PROGRESS CHART YR.
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XTHE LEAPER A few years ago, the LEAPER jumped on the weight training scene. All kinds of marvelous claims for increases in leg strength and jumping performance were made in advertisements. Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight was paid to endorse the LEAPER. As a result, many many unwary basketball coaches purchased the LEAPER. Bill Montgomery, the strength and conditioning coach at Indiana spoke on basketball strength training at the 1985 N.S.CA. convention. I asked him about Bobby Knight and the LEAPER. Coach Montgomery said, liThe LEAPER has been locked in a closet since 1979." So much for the LEAPER.
From BFS Magazine — September/October 1985. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
