To end a very long dry spell, sometimes all it takes is One Special Coach

A high school football program can recover from a couple of losing seasons; but if success evades them for too long, sometimes the athletes and even the coaches begin to believe they just don’t have the talent to win. Newark High School in Newark, Ohio, seemed destined for such a fate – they hadn’t made the playoffs in 30 years. But then a new strength coach for the Wildcats set about to dispel that notion. His name is Adam Rose.

oach Rose came to Newark High School seven years ago, but it wasn’t until three years after that, when he took over both the roles of offensive line coach and strength coach, that Rose was able to help turn around Cthe program. Upon the suggestion of Mark Doughty, the school’s athletic trainer who this year was selected as the Athletic Trainer of the Year, Rose immediately implemented the BFS program. Three years later the Wildcats became league champions, missing the playoffs by only .5 of a point in the computer rankings. This season was even better – they repeated as league champions and finally made history by earning a spot in the playoffs.

In this insightful interview, Coach Rose tells how he helped take the Wildcats to the next level, transforming a team of also-rans into winners. BFS: When did you start using BFS at Newark High? ROSE: We started implementing the BFS program four years ago, when Scott Beery became head football coach. JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2006 BFS: Is it ever an issue that kids want to challenge the program because they read something in a muscle magazine or heard about some professional football player doing something unusual in their workouts? ROSE: It was a problem in the past, but not so much now.

“Our kids have committed to the BFS program.” —Adam Rose, Strength Coach Adam Rose, shown here spotting the box squat, is the strength coach for the Wildcats.

BFS: When you started the program, was it hard to motivate the juniors and seniors to try it after using a different program? ROSE: Yes, it took some time for them to learn the system. What they did was change the weights on the computer sheets – they didn’t trust the computer. When they started to do the workouts as written, especially during those last sets that called for doing the most reps possible, they saw great results and starting doing exactly what was on their workout sheet. This is the first full group of seniors who have gone through the program their entire four years.

BFS: What about the attitude of the kids in general? We know some coaches complain that many kids are apathetic. ROSE: You know, there’s not much apathy at Newark. Everyone of course has their slow days where it takes a little bit more to get going in the morning or before their workout. But our kids have committed to the BFS program, and the kids on our football team really enjoy lifting. BFS: Is it tough to get them to do plyometrics? ROSE: Not really. We do all of our plyometrics as a team, and we tell them that this will help their explosiveness on the field. BFS: Do you encourage your football players to compete in multiple sports? ROSE: Absolutely!

I don’t think that a high school kid needs to focus on one certain sport. Enjoy a variety of sports – you’re only in high school for a short period of time, so do as much as you can.

BFS: Do your kids do the program pretty much year-round? ROSE: Yes, and we try to get all of our kids into classes during the day. I would say that 95 percent of our ball players are in weight training classes. What that means is that if they are in another sport after football, they’re still able to get their lifting in. BFS: Is in-season training an issue with some of your athletes in that they believe it could make them sore or weak so that they won’t be able to perform their best in a game? ROSE: It was an issue at first, but not now. And I think in-season training is important, especially for preventing injuries that could happen if they quit lifting and got weaker.

BFS: Do you do box squats in your program? ROSE: Absolutely – we love them! The box squat gives your legs a break from regular squats. I also like the way it Volleyball and baseball are two sports that have benefited from Coach Rose’s workout program. www.bigger fasterstronger.com teaches you to use your hips and explode from the bottom position. BFS: How are other sports doing that are using the BFS program? ROSE: The volleyball team did great last year. They started off slow, but at the end of the year they came around and went three-deep into the playoff games.

BFS: What is your approach for girls who might be worried about getting bulky from lifting weights? ROSE: I let them know that they don’t have the hormone profile to get big and bulky. We’ve had girls go through four years of our program now, and they’ve kept their bodyweight within ten pounds of their starting weight.

BFS: What is your approach to diet for those athletes who want to gain weight? ROSE: If they want to gain weight, we tell them to eat! And not just three meals a day. They should eat breakfast, then a snack; eat lunch, then a snack; eat dinner, then a snack. The smartest thing for them to do is just eat more frequently to increase their food intake.

Although one of the smallest teams in the conference, the 2005 Wildcats played with the intensity needed to end a legacy Lehmkuhle, The Advocate, Newark, Ohio)

BFS: Do you find that breakfast is the most difficult meal for your athletes to get right? ROSE: Yes. Many of our kids get up late and get to school just in time, perhaps eating a piece of toast along the way. They just need to get up a little bit earlier and eat a good breakfast. BFS: Do you find that many athletes believe they need to take protein supple- Above: Upon the suggestion of athletic trainer Mark Doughty, Newark High School started implementing the BFS program four years ago. ments to gain weight? ROSE: Yes, unfortunately we have some kids here who believe in the protein powders. And when I ask them, “Why are you doing that?” and they say, “Because I want to get big,”

I tell them they can get all the protein they need from what they eat. I try to get it through to them that they need to try food first, and only if that’s not enough should they consider that stuff. BFS: What stands out in your mind as the best contributions Coach Beery has made to the program? ROSE: Coach Beery has brought the team together as one unit, and he’s taught them that they must put in time and effort to be successful. He teaches our athletes to play the game when it’s time to play, and work when it’s time to work. Off-season, in-season, do what you’re supposed to do when you’re supposed to do it. BFS: What advice do you give to aspiring strength coaches?

ROSE: First of all, realize that it’s a lot of hard work and that coaching is not for everybody. But if you decide this is the job for you, my advice is to just enjoy it, enjoy being around the kids.

The Best Way to Get Started on the BFS Program!

Now Includes the BFS Clinic Exercise Instruction DVD! 1. BFS Clinic Exercise Instruction DVD.

From BFS Magazine — January/February 2006. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).