Owego Free Academy, Owego New York
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By Al Brunetti, FB Coach Owego Free Academy As we ended our 1985-86 campaign, we had just completed our fifth mediocre season in a row. Within those five years we had tried different offenses, different looks — anything to rise above mediocrity. But were unsuccessful.
A fresh look to our team, a fresh outlook on football had to be attained. After reading the Bigger, Faster, Stronger Journal, I decided a clinic was the way to get things started. I went to the Booster Club, to Student Council and Varsity Club to raise the fee. This clinic was to be for the athletes of Owego Free Academy. | talked to Bob Rowbotham on several occasions. The support and confidence was evident over the phone. We started our program in January of 1986. There were some nights we had 43 boys in a storage room turned weight room. It was close, but the boys seemed to get strength from each other, as the group leaders shouted encouragement. developed. showed proud.
Mental attitude became apparent. We had our clinic in March. As luck would have it we suffered through blizzard conditions on the night Bob was to arrive. The airports were closed. I thought for sure all our preparation would go for naught. Somehow Bob made it into Syracuse early Saturday morning and sped down to Binghamton in time for our clinic.
Bob instructed us in technique and quickness developJim Price BFS 1986-87 All-American ment, which I thought would be the major portion of the Editors Note: Coach Al Brunetti has been chosen All-Metro and discipline and leadership were what really sent the Coach of the Year for his 1986 finish with the Owego Inboys through the “ozone layer.” Many times during the program. I was dead wrong. Presentations on goal setting dians. This was Al's eighth year. It wasn’t easy. After a past year I reminded the boys of how our Kevin Noble was 6-3 finish in 1980, Coach Brunetti went through five straight asked how many games we wanted to play. The response losing seasons, including going 3-6 in 1985.
Those three was a resounding “TEN GAMES.” (Ten games is all you wins were the first three games. One of the losses was a are allowed in New York State.) Bob put a weight on the 50-6 defeat to nationally ranked Binghamton. box squat that Kevin never attempted previously. Kevin It would have been easy to fold and give up by both had to do a rep for each game we wanted to play. He athlete and coach. However, Coach Brunetti believed and worked and strained through ten reps, with loud support had faith. He worked on mental attitude and conditioning. of the crowd.
Owego had a BFS clinic. Coach Brunetti stated, “Our boys The program took off after the clinic. Records were being worked very hard.” Perhaps the hardest and most dedishattered left and right. Strength was growing at an unbecated athlete we’ve ever had was our fullback, Jim Price. lievable rate. Confidence became evident with each goal He gained 25 lbs. through religiously putting time in the reached and each record broken. weight room. Jim was the second leading scorer in the Opening the season, the highest hopes of area experts whole Southern Tier. From the time Bob Rowbotham gave was again 3-6. We had a goal of TEN GAMES, and the his clinic Jim set his goals and standards for himself.
He boys were bound and determined to prove all the “experts” demanded perfection from himself. wrong. We had “PRIDE BREAKS” throughout practice, That faith and dedication paid off with a perfect 9-0 regular where the boys shouted enthusiastically “TEN GAMES, season finish. The tenth game became a reality! That ninth TEN GAMES, TEN GAMES!!!” We won our first three game saw the Owego Indians go wild as they defeated that games allowing only 3 points against our first defense, Binghamton team 41-8. Talk about reversals! Coach Brunetti reflected, “It was a season we'll remember fondly. It’s one we'll be able to build on.” while scoring 82. Still many “experts” doubted that we were for real.
Our fourth game was against a team we had not beaten in thirty-eight years. We won in the rain and Our thanks to Upper Limit Coach, Al Brunetti and the mud 14-2. We continued towards our goal of TEN GAMES.
Owego Indian football team for making the dream become We won our eighth game coming from behind in the last a reality and showing us the way once again.
Te. vr.
.
OB Kevin Schutt avoiding a Tackler.
Joe Palladino: Owego Indian running to daylight 2 minutes. Our ninth game was against a team that was previously ranked number 1 USA TODAY. Last year they beat us 50-6. This year it was our turn as we turned them away 41-8.
We recorded the best record in the annals of Owego Free Academy Football History, 9-0. The previous best record was 8-0 in 1933. The last undefeated team through a ful year was the 1941 team with a record of 7-0. The survivors of this team were honored in our last game. Unfortunately we were not able to win our tenth game, a playoff game not included in the regular season, losing it 21-15.
The Village of Owego experiences “Small Town High School Football” at its best. Young and old, school and industry all together pulling for the 1986 Owego Free Indians.
Stronger, for getting us started.
LAWSUIT AVOIDED! A student broke into a high school recently and got into The BFS philosophy since 1969 on sets and reps has remained the same: To Attain Upper Limit Results an Athlete MUST Vary Set-Rep Routines. There is no one magic set-rep system. No athlete can choose 5 sets of 5, 3 sets of 10, 10-8-6-4-2 or one set of 8/12 reps and expect to achieve optimum results over a long period of time. Using any one system day after day, week after week will result in a plateau very quickly. Dr. Fred Hatfield or Dr. Squat, as he is known to many, just set a world’s record with a 1014 squat. He recently visited Arthur Jones place in Florida.
Arther Jones, as most coaches know, is the founder of Nautilus and the one set of 8-12 rep system. This one set of 8 to 12 idea has always bafÒed our BFS staff. How did it survive this long? We feel there are only about 3% of our nation’s major colleges who still use this system on the core type lifts. No track athletes and obviously no Power lifters or Olympic lifters use this system. However, many of the people who visit spas to muscle the school’s weight room. He was a non-athlete and habitutone their bodies use it. They just haven’t been informed. ally in trouble. The boy got hurt trying to lift by himself.
We thought it might be interesting to relate some state- Even though the student broke in and was obviously screwing around, the parents decided the school, not their boy, ments made ina published article by Dr. Hatfield in regards was at fault. They sued.
SETS AND REPS A REVELATION? to his visit to Arthur Jones’ place in Ocala, Florida. “As we all know by now, the Nautilus system of one set The judge, after hearing all the facts, pounded his gavel to failure didn’t work for most people, because it was based and uttered these sweet words. “Case dismissed.” The judge ruled that signs in the weight room were clearly on thwarted logic.” Arther Jones confided to Dr. Hatfield posted which stated, “ALWAYS USE A SPOTTER: NEVER know why.”
LIFT ALONE.” In addition, our BFS Posters were also clearly posted which illustrated correct lifting techniques equipment. Dr. Hatfield offers a brief but eloquent statereferring to his system, “I was dead wrong. And now | Jones has come up with a new system with brand new and how to use spotters. Justice was served. (This school requested to remain anonymous upon the advice of their megabucks.” We at BFS have only one comment. “Let the buyer beware.”
READINESS PROGRAM RECORD BOOK AND VIDEO THE BFS READINESS PROGRAM One big glaring difference between our country and the Europeans is how we completely neglect our junior high athletes. There is absolutely no reason why we can’t teach these kids flexibility, how to run properly, how to jump and how to lift with great technique. An easy way to get an edge on your opponents in high school is to prepare and motivate the junior high athlete. The BFS Readiness Program does just that! Each athlete should have the Record Book and the Video will help a class visually understand what to do. Dr. Greg Shepard, BFS Pres.
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From BFS Magazine — May/June 1987. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
