1984 BFS High School Athlete of the Year

#66 John Rymiszewski: High School All-American in Football and Track.

Rymiszewski's Awesome Power Enables Him to Clean 300 Pounds!

John Rymiszewski is the 1984 Bigger Faster Stronger High School Athlete of the Year. He becomes our fifth recipient of this most prestigious award since we began in 1979. The award is based on tremendous athletic achievement in sports, the ability to overcome obstacles, scholarship, leadership and general character. John scores very high marks in all areas and he is greatly deserving of this honor. Past BFs Athletes of the Year are all doing well. Tom Southall, 1980, is finishing up a fine college career at Colorado college. Tom's been a starting running back since his freshman year, been to the nationals in track and makes the dean's list with regularity.

We made a movie about him (see page 8). Scott Runyan, 1981, is starring as QB at the University of Wyoming. Jeff Stump, 1982, is playing football at Michigan State and, Robert Smith, 1983, also won a football scholarship. John Rymiszewski is a senior at Mount Vernon High School in Alexandria, Virginia. He plays football and throws the discus and shot. His honors are legend. He has made several All-American teams, been selected to the AP All State 1st Team at Linebacker, 1 st Teams All-Metropolitan at Linebacker(Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C.) as well as being voted the MVP in the State Championship Game. All these honors came to John last year as a junior.

It does not count this 1984-85 school year as a senior. He has won numerous honors in track being the district and regional shot and discus champion 1983-84. He was chosen Northern Virginia Field Event Athlete of the Year and MVP in several important. track events. His highest distinction in track is with his prodigious 185'5" discus throw. This throw was tops in the United stJtes for a junior this last spring. Mark Bendorf is Rymiszewski's defensive coach in football and weight event coach in track. Coach Bendorf also works with John in the weight room.

Coach Bendorf has this to say about John Rymiszewski "If there is an outstanding quality John possesses, it is his character both on and off the playing field. J think this is demonstrated in the fact that John is often called on to speak for church and community groups on leadership and goal setting. He has maintained an A- average (3.4) in the classroom, while never neglecting his year-round conditioning program for football and track. John's constant demonstration of leadership has garnered the respect of his teammates as well as his fellow classmates. John has been team captain since his junior year in both football and track.

John Rymiszewski's inner motivation and high moral standards are an example for all to follow." . Continued on Page 46 Rymiszewski is Devastating on Defense. A Bone Jarring Tackler! "Out of all the kids I've coached over the years, John is the hardest hitter I've ever had" states head football coach Bruce Patrick "And that's quite a few guys."

John Rymiszewski is sensitive about his height or lack of it. "I've been told all my life that I'm too short" stated Rymiszewski, "A lot of successful football coaches have told me that but I refuse to believe it" said a resolute Rymiszewski. "It's what's inside a man that is important I lift so much because I am so short. I try to make up for it. I want to crush people who say I'm too short and 1 guess it really gets to me sometimes. However, 1 say let's look at the results" concludes Rymiszewski. (Editor's note: the results have now been so awesome, college coaches are calling night and day.

It got so bad, the Mount Vernon coaches have had to set rules as to when and where they can calL) John analytically remarks ''I'm looking for a college that isn't a school just for jocks. I want the education. I'm planning on a career in physical therapy, engineering or sports medicine. I'm hoping on a scholarship to get me through college. I'd do whatever it takes." Rymiszewski Squats 585 1 John stands 5-10 and packs 225 pounds of thick, dense muscle which propels him to a 4.8 fortyl At this writinf;, Rymiszewski is having another super year and the Mount Vernon Majors are undefeated.

No one hils ever won 3 region championships in a row ilnd no one has ever won back-ta-back State Championships in the state of Virginia. There are 126 big schools in Virginia that Mount Vernon competes with for the Stilte Chilmpionship. It doesn't bother John After being selected as the MVP in winning the State Championship gilmf last year, John remarked "This was a te,lm victory We had this goal in mind all year. winning the State Championship Our defense WilS just great You can't win without a great defense Now it's bilck to the weight room. We want to win this thing two years in a row." Veteran head football coach Bruce Patrick sa ys "You've got to love a kid like that."

So John and his teammates have not just been talking; they've been working and working with a great intensity. Accomplishing goals isn't a matter of words; it is a course of action. Action is what the Mount Vernon program is all about. Coach Bendorf reports "John benches 405 but he is not the only one who is strong. We have six kids over 300 and 40 kids over 260 poundS. Many of those kids started out between 100-145 pounds," Great tradition abounds at Mount Vernon where 10 players last year received Division I scholarships. "Our program leaves rewards through hard work I think our kids are tough because they know they've spent more time than their opponents" continued Coach Bendorf.

"Our kids know what hard work is all about. They know what it takes to achieve their goals." "I've Been Told All My Life That I'm Too Short. But I Refuse To Believe It!" Rymiszewski plays both ways. He is awesome at middle linebacker but he also plays guard and fullback when we need him. "With a 585 squat his300 lbs. clean, his 405 lbs. bench and his4.8 speed; who's going to stop him?" said the coaching staff. "He is really a man among boys He keeps the intensity level at a premium at all times A lot of players start out the game intense but John's intensity remains through all 4 quarters . . as if it were the first play of the game,"

John's track coaches have given him a chance to compete nationally. He threw in front of 50,000 people this summer in Los Angeles and met many of the greats in the discus. "There are some guys more talented but no one works harder" affirms weight coach Mark Bendorf. Head track coach Ken Gaudreault, Coach Greg Sullivan (another weight training coach) and coach Bendorf have one final story about John Rymiszewski. "To show you what John and his discus buddies are willing to go through; they all came one Saturday, started throwing at 10 in the morning, threw for three hours, ran 40 minutes, then lifted for two more hours. They took a break in the middle and ate peanut butter sandwiches.

That kind of dedication makes the difference. Obviously they can't do this every day but the thing is, they wanted to do it" John has3 teammates that push him as they all throw between 150 and 165 feet' When we first received John Rymiszewski nomination for the BFS High School All-American football .

RYMISZEWSKI - Continued team last season Greg Shepard, president of Bigger Faster Stronger, Inc. exclaimed, "I don't care who else we get, Rymiszewski's got to be first team!" We think by now you share Coach Shepard's enthusiasm and agree that John Rymiszewski is most deserving of Athlete of the Year. We thank all the coaches of Mount Vernon High School and thank John for the inspiration he has given us and hopefully now, th usands of others aspiring to be the best they can be. Good luck and continued success to the Majors of M unt Vernon ,md John Rymlszewsk~ on their "Que t for Greatness." "I Don't Care Who Else We Get, Rymiszewski's Got To Be First Team!"

Rymiszewski gets plenty of help on their Quest for Two in a Row.

From BFS Magazine — November/December 1984. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).