A new attitude, along with a New Weight Room, has given H.V. Jenkins High School a bright future

A new attitude, along with a new weightroom, has given H.V. Jenkins High School a bright future One of the most popular themes in TV reality shows is “the makeover.” In the past, most of these transformations consisted of changing hairstyles, using make-up wisely, and (listen up, football coaches) dressing better. Now with elaborately produced TV shows such as The Swan, plastic surgeons have also gotten into the act with their “nip and tuck” approach to image building. H.V. Jenkins High School in Savannah, Georgia, has also embraced the idea of an extreme makeover. Not for its teachers or students, but for its weightroom.

When Coach Robert Zoller inherited the small weightroom in Chatham County at H.V. Jenkins High School last year, he was shocked. Most of the equipment was rusty and the upholstery torn. Many of the pads on the bench press stations were not even fastened securely; so when they were used, the pads shifted, putting the athletes in danger of falling off! The gym had serious safety hazards, and Zoller took the matter up with the principal and school board.

Zoller went to the school principal, Dr. Freddie Gilyard, and the school board for help. Zoller and other members of the coaching staff also gathered petitions signed by the students, parents and other teachers to help secure money from a fund set up in the name of the daughter for whom the school is named, Hershcel V. Jenkins. Their award was $26,000, but they knew that to get the job done right they needed $32,000. The rest of the money they committed to raising themselves—and they did it the hard way. “I don’t recommend this for anybody, but we sold candy,” says Zoller. “We ordered 50 cases of candy, which works out to just over 10,000 pieces of candy.

We had the coaches and 25 kids selling it, and it was torturous trying to unload it.” And, he adds, he still has about five cases left “if anybody out there is interested.” With the money finally secured, the coaches were able to donate the useable, safe units of the old equipment to the local middle school, as many of the coaches at that level wanted to give their athletes a head start on the BFS program. Then the fun began: purchasing new equipment! The redesigned gym was centered around eight BFS Elite Training Stations.

Other equipment included two pulldown machines, two leg extension/leg curl machines, two glute-ham developers, a four-way neck machine, a pec dec, dumbbells starting at 5 pounds and working up to 100 pounds, and 4,000 pounds of Olympic weights, which included bumper plates. It is now a dream weightroom that just about any college, much less any high school, would envy. In the past, few athletes used the weightroom, but now the school can’t seem to keep it open long enough. “The weightroom is open every day, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” says Zoller. “And we made it accessible for the whole school.

We let the faculty come in and they In the past, few athletes used the weightroom, but now the school can’t seem to keep it open long enough. “The weightroom is open every day, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” says Coach Robert Zoller. Below H.V. Jenkins athletes are all smiles in their new facility. can lift at certain hours, and we also opened it up to the special education department.” To update their workout program, Zoller implemented the BFS program with the football team, and other coaches quickly followed. “We do core lifts and auxiliaries twice a week, the BFS 1-2-3-4 stretching program, Dot Drill warm-up, plyometrics twice a week, and speed training.”

Head Coach Tim Adams says for the first time in school history he had over 70 kids come out for football. Also, to make the coaches’ job easier, the school purchased the BFS computer program. “As a coach, the Beat the Computer Program enables me to monitor the progress of our athletes better, finding out who’s working and who’s not,” says Zoller. “Instead of looking through a stack of set-rep logs for each athlete, it’s easier to just look it up in the computer.”

When asked if he did anything special to motivate his athletes, Zoller says he put up ranking boards for all their core lifts. “The two lifts that we stress the most are the straightleg deadlift and the parallel squat, and this came from the “Get Really Fast” series of articles Dr. Greg Shepard wrote about in the magazine.” Zoller believes that emphasis on these two lifts, plus the BFS 1-2-3-4 Flexibility program, has enabled his athletes to stay injury free. “We’ve had no injuries since starting this program—none!” Zoller says another important part of their program is the Be An 11 concept.

“I preach it all the time, and the kids have taken it by storm and they are really starting to believe in what it takes to “Be An 11.” Now that’s a makeover that looks great on everyone! BFS Over 420 STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS HAVE BEEN WON AFTER A BFS CLINIC!

“The Best Kept Secret For Winning In America” THE CLINIC RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES!

To say the least, our BFS Clinic was the beginning of something great for our football program. Within three months, our off-season program produced fourteen 1,000 pound club members where we were only able to previously produce one or two. The BFS Program led to many positive changes in our athletes self image as physical, fast football players.

On behalf of the entire North Scott Athletic Program I want to thank you for the tremendous job that you did. Our kids and coaches are still buzzing about the clinic. The professionalism you showed was a great example to our coaches and the enthusiasm that you showed to our kids was a great selling point for the BFS Program.

Chuck Warden Head Football Coach Loveland High School, OH Randy Schrader Head Football Coach North Scott High School, IA Our BFS Clinic was everything we had hoped for and more! I see the athletes working harder on technique and encouraging each other more than prior to the clinic (especially our girl athletes). The coaches who participated all expressed that it was very informative and beneficial to them. Ed Rohloff Head Football Coach Custer County HS, MT I have been doing the BFS program for 2 years now. By having the clinic I found out what I was doing wrong and how I can improve myself. The program has helped me in many ways.

I have been on the Varsity team for 2 years and I’m only in the 9th grade. I enjoy doing your program. Thank you! Andrew Gould Football Player I have to share with you the tremendous feedback we have received from the coaches in attendance, students, athletic director and the parents. The phone has been ringing off the hook with positive feedback. The clinic was both informative and motivational. It had a significant impact on my athletes. Coach Bob Butler Tappan Zee High School, NY I loved our BFS Clinic! I learned more in this one day than I have in all the other clinics I have been to put together in my entire life.

Coach David Gonyar Buck Sport High School, ME TURN THE PAGE FOR THE COMPLETE CLINICIAN STAFF.

AN ALL-DAY ATHLETIC TRAINING EXPERIENCE AT YOUR SCHOOL Each Clinic Attacks Three Areas! INSTRUCTION!

Agility, flexibility, strength, speed, jumping, nutrition, skills, etc. Every athlete and coach will gain an amazing level of knowledge in all areas of strength and conditioning.

“The time I spent with BFS was the best thing I have ever done for my school” At our clinics, we share incredible stories to inspire every athlete and coach.

In the average high school, a three-sport athlete will have to learn three different ways to stretch. Each clinic has a special coaches session to get them on the “same page”.

A BFS Clinician will fly to your school and put on a full-day of intensive training. Showing all coaches and athletes how to implement the BFS Program. It also includes proper lifting technique of the BFS core lifts.

ADD THE “BE AN 11” SEMINAR TO YOUR BFS CLINIC. -See pages 62- your date entered on the calendar (We highly recommend 4 weeks before your clinic date).

One Day Clinic: $1,600 ($800 deposit to reserve your date with $800 due the day of the clinic.) Two Day Clinic: $1,950 For 1 to 50 athletes then $25 per person above 50. ($975 deposit, balance due at clinic)

AN AWESOME GROUP!

Back Row: Roger Freeborn (OR), John Rowbotham (UT), Bob Rowbotham (UT), Mark Beckham (CA), Ray Cosenza (MA), Rick Bojak (UT), Len Walencikowski (FL), Evan Ayres (WA), Rick Tomberlin (GA), Matt Merry (LA), Jeff Scurran (AZ), Bob Doyle (OH), Middle Row: Jeff Sellers (IN), Jim Brown (MO), Mandy Eakin (MO), Dennis Dunn (LA), Bobby Poss (NC), Rick Anderson (UT), Doug Ekmark (MN), Front Row: Bob Bozied (CO) BFS CEO, Dr. Greg Shepard (UT). Not Pictured: Patty Hagemeyer (CO) and Doug Holland (LA)

THE BFS CLINICIAN STAFF This group represents some of the best, most successful coaches in the country. And you have access to them to do a BFS Clinic at your school (see pages 32-33)

THIS YEAR BFS WILL DO OVER 300 CLINICS NATIONWIDE

From BFS Magazine — November/December 2004. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).