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Jarrett Ferguson, director of Virginia Tech's strength and conditioning program, gives pointers on a simple way to build upper body strength using Jr. Derrick Quirin to illustrate the point. Photo by Cathy Benson, The Botetourt View

Sixty student athletes LBHS and RMMS braved the cold yesterday to have strength and conditioning exercises and techniques taught to them by Virginia Tech's Director of Strength and Conditioning Jarrett Ferguson. For over two hours the players received instruction and lecture on how to become stronger and faster. "You will learn how to explode off the line," said Ferguson.

A 2002 Tech grad and drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 7th round, Ferguson is a fireplug of muscle and strength. His calf muscles bulged as he directed the players through skills drills on the football field. Tater Benson and many of his coaches were witnessing the next step in the development of the Cavalier football team. "This is where it's at," said Benson as he watched many of the middle schoolers listen intently to Ferguson's direction and comment. They left the field and went down to the practice area where Ferguson talked about such things as power flips on tractor tires, the power leg and how to stay low and push a line machine.

From there the team traveled back up the hill to the weight room. Ferguson said on the way up the hill, that fresh off the Orange Bowl victory he has some time to work with high school students. One student asked as he walked up the steps from the track about using a punching bag and Ferguson directed him to use it with the cadence of drum beats. "I am a drummer for a gospel band myself," he told the young man. "It will help your quickness."

Coach Mark Harrison who is directing strength and conditioning at LBHS had spoken with Ferguson several different times. Harrison had wanted the program (see December or Jan 2 issue of BV) to be mandatory but it cannot be required. He was very pleased with the turnout of student athletes for the 2-hour training session.

In the weight room mostly using a bar, Ferguson approached techniques designed to make faster and stronger players with training methods called things like, "The hang snatch, push jerk and the push press." He also talked about bulking up. Parents numbering over twenty plus filed into the weight room to watch.

Ferguson described his life as the child of a single parent, a walk-on at Tech, who gained a full scholarship, drafted by the NFL and now a strength and conditioning expert of the Orange Bowl winning Hokies. You have to set goals for your self and work to achieve them. "Football is hard. If it wasn't everyone off the street would be here playing."

He encouraged student athletes to work on their academics and grades during the off season citing a personal experience when he made two C's at Tech that "my mother threatened to go to Coach Beamer and ask him to remove me (Ferguson) from the team," he said with a laugh.

Ferguson told the players, "We are giving you the recipe to be successful and a better player. Macho Harris (Tech's star defensive player) is always saying, "Let's try this or that. I tell him I gave you the recipe-- you cook it up."

Harrison described the program to the parents and students and how it was kind of an all or nothing deal of commitment.

Benson finished the day by thanking Ferguson, students and Coach Harrision. "If you come in here three days per week in the off season you will be a better player. We have the ingredients here for you to get better. We can put it all together." For more pictures of the day, click here.