A look back at two BFS success stories
UXLWODQGSKRWRVE\+DWFK*UDKDP,WKDFDSKRWRVE\1DWKDQ%RRW] The year 2012 was a great year for the Fruitland Grizzlies (above) and the Ithaca Yellowjackets, and 2013 brought the fans even more excitement.
In high school sports it’s almost a given that every team will win a championship at some point. The challenge is winning consistently. In 2013 we featured numerous high school football teams that are continuing their winning ways. Let’s catch up with two of them, Ithaca High School in Michigan and Fruitland High School in Idaho.
Beware the Yellowjackets: 56-0 Ithaca High was featured in our May 2013 issue. At that time they had won 42 straight games and three straight state championships, putting them in a three-way tie for the fifth-longest winning streak in the country. This year the Yellowjackets won another state championship and went undefeated to achieve the nation’s longest winning streak.
Athletic director Terry Hessbrook, who graduated from Ithaca in 1985, attended a BFS clinic in 2001 and convinced the school board to put the BFS program into the school curriculum the following year. Steve Smith, a local businessman, helped finance a $1 million renovation to the school stadium that was completed in 2012.
In 2013 the Ithaca Yellowjackets extended their winning streak to 56-0, the longest in the country, and won their fourth straight state championship. The Yellowjackets appeared on the cover of our May 2013 issue.
Hear the Grizzlies Roar: 110-23 Fruitland High was featured in our January 2013 issue and six years earlier in our January 2007 issue. Last season their football team made it to their state championship game, winning three playoff games and finishing with an 11-2 record. For the past 12 years the Grizzlies have been coached by Bruce Schlaich, who led his Grizzlies to seven state championship games, winning two of them and amassing a 110-23 record.
After the 2013 season Coach Schlaich, who has been coaching for 35 years, announced he was stepping down from his head coaching position but is remaining at Fruitland as a teacher. Ryan Tracy, who has been Schlaich’s assistant for the past 12 seasons, will take over as head coach. Schlaich uses the BFS Beat the Computer program as the foundation of the Grizzlies’ strength program. “With so many different strength and conditioning programs to choose from, we have always used BFS as our foundation,” says Schlaich.
“We have been blessed with great talent, great assistant coaches, great community and the rock of our success: Through hard work and great coaching, Ithaca High and Fruitland High have established traditions of excellence. It’s been fun sharing with BFS readers news and photos of their success, and we look forward to highlighting more great schools throughout 2014.
For the past 12 years the Fruitland Grizzlies have been coached by Bruce Schlaich, who recently retired from coaching. Schlaich led the team to seven state championship games, winning two of them and amassing a 110-23 record. The Fruitland Grizzlies appeared on the covers of our January 2013 and January 2007 issues. #11 Harvey Ware I0ERFORM ALL CORE LIFTS IN ONE STATION s "OX 3QUAT s 0OWER #LEAN s (EX "AR $EADLIFT s "ENCH 0RESS Solid steel construction with non-slip diamond tread footplate DEDICATED TO HELPING ATHLETES SUCCEED SINCE 1976 :::%,**(5)$67(567521*(5&20 :HVW6RXWK6DOW/DNH&LW\87
From BFS Magazine — January/February 2014. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
