Fergus Falls High School
by Kurt Mattison Midwest BFS Rep Wrestling and Strength Coach Fergus Falls High School In the years preceding 1982, Fergus Falls High School of Minnesota had nearly a non-existent strength program. Equipment consisted of a Universal Machine. The machine was fairly new and in excellent shape (and still is). The problem was, it was not being used, very few athletes were strength training. The past few football seasons were not up to the usual standards of "Otter" football a winning tradition that has been built by head coach Don Stueve since 1967. From 1978 to 1981, the combined record was 11-16. part of our tradition.
After receiving some information from BFS, I started some of our wrestlers on a limited version of the super-set-rep program. Our Coaches Association purchased a bench, squat rack, and olympic set, and this gave us our start. We immediately noticed a difference in their performance that season. In March 1982, I attended a BFS Coaches Clinic and I knew this was what we were missing in Fergus Falls. I have been involved in strength training as an athlete and coach for 15 years, and was still looking for the right system. The BFS Clinic ended my search.
Since implementing the BFS super-set-rep program at our school we have become totally convinced that it is not just a good program, but the best available. In the spring of '82 we purchased additional equipment and many athletes started a serious journey to improving athletic performance. In June '82, we held the BFS Athletes Clinic in our gym and that was the turning point for us. The clinic was the one thing that made believers out of our athlete~. We had over 100 participants in our 1982 summer strength program. During the summer of 1981 we barely had 35 participants! By the time football began in mid August, the athletes had developed a new confidence and enthusiasm.
This is a result of strength training that is not measurable but could be just as important as the other gains made. Head Football Coach Don Stueve comments, "The confidence they gained in themselves was fantastic. We have tried many different weight programs over the years, but we believe this is the best one for motivating players." The 1982 season was extremely rewarding to the athletes, coaches, and fans. They entered the Minnesota State Playoffs for the first time since 1977 with a record of 8-1 before losing to defending state champion Rosemount. Their only two losses came against schools with a much larger enrollment and with years of strength training behind them.
"The success that our team had this season can be attributed to our involvement in the BFS Program. Those players who were seriously involved made unbelievable improvement not only in strength but also in speed" said an enthusiastic head football coach Don Stueve. Continued on Page 14 MOTIVATION PACKET This Packet is designed for the extra effort coach who wants his program special. It contains the following:
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From BFS Magazine — March/April 1983. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).
