By Steve Green

When Augusta Christian Schools adopted the BFS program, they spun their athletic program 180 degrees into by Steve Green the winning direction rom the outside, the small Christian academy at 313 Baston Road in Martinez, Georgia, seems totally overshadowed by the much larger public schools in the county. But take a closer look as you walk under the breezeway outside Augusta Christian Schools’ gym, and you’ll notice an inspiring message on a banner overhead. Step inside the gym, and immediately to your right you’ll find a small but fully packed trophy case. Continue toward the back of the gym, do a 180 and look at the wall above the entrance.

It’s decorated with a plethora of banners—regional, state, and state runners-up—and pictures of recent state championship teams. In its pride and optimism, it’s not a small school at all. Founded in 1958, Augusta Christian Schools have recently Fracked up a series of remarkable athletic successes. This is a relatively new experience; the proud Lions’ athletic program was once a laughing matter. Instead of their recent great football seasons of 9 to10 wins, ACS used to have to settle for campaigns of 2 to 3 wins. The basketball championships they began winning in the mid ‘90s had been preceded by nearly a decade of ho-hum .500 marks and early playoff exits.

ACS baseball had never risen to a respectable level until around 10 years ago, and alternate spring sports had seldom generated much excitement or prestige. But things changed very quickly for the ACS Lions when an optimistic alumnus from the class of 1991 decided he was ready to see something change in the lives of his beloved athletes. With the help of then freshly hired head football coach Steve Price, strength coach Keith Walton introduced the Bigger Faster Stronger program to the school in its 1994 athletic season. The contributions BFS has made have helped to materialize many of the dreams Coach Walton has had for his school ever since his own freshman year at Augusta Christian.

In Search of Football Excellence ACS football has always been a much-loved sport at ACS, but for years there had been little reason for either pride or optimism. From 1977 to 1993 the football program had managed only 50 wins, one winning season and three winless stints. Since 1994, however, the football program’s future has become much brighter. The Lions have won more games in 10 Coach Bruce Lane has contributed to several great success stories, the most notable being J.T. Wall, a star player while at John Milledge Academy and a former UGA fullback, who made the front cover of BFS magazine in 2002.

seasons than in their first 17 (66 wins), including five winning seasons, four years of 8-plus wins, two regional championships and an 11-3 campaign that put the Lions in the state finals. The Lions also set records for most AllRegion and All-State players selected, and 13 players from the school have gone on to play college football. Steve Price, who was Augusta Christian’s head football coach from 1994 to 2001, earned more wins for the school than any other coach had in ACS history. After Price’s departure to Dublin, Georgia, his good friend Bruce Lane took the reins as athletic director and head coach.

Lane’s involvement with BFS is a natural—from 1988 to 2001 he installed the BFS program at five other schools. Coach Lane has contributed to several great success stories, the most notable being J.T. Wall, a star player while at John Milledge Academy and a former UGA fullback, who made the front cover of BFS magazine in 2002. Lane was quick to credit Price for the foundation he laid by helping to bring the program to Augusta Christian in 1994. “There was a lot of interest in BFS before I came in 2002,” said Lane. “Coach Steve Price and Coach Keith Walton did a great job of implementing the program before I got here.”

The Lions set records for most All-Region and All-State players selected, and 13 players from the school have gone on to play college football.

The cross-country team has won five regional titles, two state runners-up and two state titles. Head girls’ Coach Beth Harden credits much of their success to the BFS Program. their races in their high school careers. Rebekah and Sarah Madebach might be hard to tell Football is not the only sport apart from each other, but both at ACS that has been energized. stand out above the crowd at their Cross-country is fairly new—it cross-country or track races. started in 1997—but the rapid Rebekah won the CC state success of the program, especially the girls’ program, has the makings championship her senior year, while sister Sarah won it her of a long, proud tradition.

The freshman and cross-country team sophomore years. The has won five sisters say that training regional titles, two with BFS has “helped state runners-up “We start the our endurance” and and two state titles. BFS program “pushes us to be Head girls’ coach better.” Beth Harden in the 7th credits much of grade, their success to the “If You Put Forth BFS program, Effort, You including girls. the which all her girls Will Come Out on have adopted. She Top.” We give them says, “With the all equal girls’ program I Other athletics think the kids are a haven’t been far behind opportunities.” lot stronger, more in success. Basketball disciplined, more has won 18 games in focused and faster.

two seasons and has They’re overachievers.” had six seasons of 22-plus wins, It certainly doesn’t hurt that along with seven straight regional the school has a gifted pair of championships and two state titles. athletes in the girls’ program, twin Coach Mike Gold and Coach sisters who have finished first and Andrew Bryan have trained their second respectively in nearly all players with a solid off-season 54 Augusta Christian quarterback Adam McKinney. BFS workout program that has prepared their respective teams both physically and mentally. The 2003-2004 season looks to be no different than the past 10 years, as the boys have worked even harder and have gelled together more than ever before.

Baseball has been a GISA AAA state program at ACS since 1994, and has made a respectable showing of two state championships and a state runnerup. The tennis program has been kicked into gear by head coach Mike Giddens, whose consistent plyometric work has helped to bump the ACS program into neardynasty status. Since Coach Giddens began coaching at Augusta Christian in 2000, boys’ tennis has won three regional titles and two state titles. Track has seen incredible improvement recently over its lowly status of previous years: three straight regional titles, two top-three finishes in the state meet and a stash of relay trophies.

Coach Walton states that the biggest difference has been in the team’s times in the forty. “We went from a 1993 team of no kids with times under 5.0 to a team in Strength coach Keith Walton introduced the program to the school in its 1994 athletic season.

Chad Cooper, a frequent visitor to the ACS weightroom, started the BFS program when he was only in the 6th grade. which half the kids have times of 4.9 or better. Our vertical jumps have increased, and our school track times have consistently dropped.” Superlative multi-athlete Cole Rabun can attest to the success of the BFS program. The 5’11”, 175pound senior, who is also the football team’s heavily recruited athlete at tailback, won a state championship as a member of the GISA AAA first-place 4 x 100 state championship relay team with his teammates Drew Snelling, Marcus Paschal and Andrew Fisher. Cole claims that BFS is “a really good program because of the record book.

It allowed me to continue to break records by seeing what I did the workout before.” Cole is also a AAA top-three finisher in track in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and won every single event (100m, 200m, long jump, 4 x 100, 4 x 400) in the 4-AAA Regionals his junior season, leading his team to a regional title. Coach Walton says that he “starts the kids early” at the K-12 school. “We start the BFS program in the 7th grade, including girls.

Chad is not shy about how BFS has changed the overall outlook of ACS off the field of play. “I think it has really changed my life in a lot of different ways. It’s helped me to realize that everything needs to be achieved through hard work. It’s helped me to know that if you put forth the effort, you will come out on top.” With such great attitudes, athletes and coaches, Augusta Christian’s athletic program today is light years ahead of where it was a decade ago. The difference is like night and day. Strength Coach Walton continues to be amazed and excited over the changes he’s seen, and Head Football Bruce Lane never tires of imagining the possibilities of seasons to come.

As the coaches tirelessly continue to instill principles of hard work and winning attitudes into prospective stars of the future, the kids are striving to be better than the previous generation of athletes. So what’s to come in the next 10 years at Augusta Christian Schools? One thing for sure, they’ll need a bigger trophy case! BFS All athletes at Augusta Christian do the same unified BFS program. Here they are doing the BFS Hip Flexor Stretch. We give them all equal opportunities.” Apparently that has produced the results that Walton has looked for. Kids are stronger, faster, more mature and more inspired than ever before.

Chad Cooper, a frequent visitor to the ACS weightroom, started the program when he was only in the 6th grade. A four-year starter in football as well as a team captain, Creates the BFS weightlifting program including poundage, sets & reps The BFS Set Rep System on Computer HOW IT WORKS 1 Athletes fill out a form listing current core & auxiliary lifts. Enter the scores into the computer. It then calculates 2 the proper lifting weight for each set and creates the 1 weekly workout based on the athlete’s unique scores. the beginning of each week, simply print out the 3 At athlete’s BFS Set-Rep Program workout sheet as shown.

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From BFS Magazine — Spring 2004. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).