BFS SUCCESS STORY

2011 BFS High School of the Year

How Dulaney High embraced the principles of the BFS Total Program

BY LAANNA CARRASCO, MA

eenagers who become physi- their school has been named the 2011 that they have developed by par- cally fit and happier will always BFS High School of the Year, but the ticipating in the BFS Total Program. Tbe a great thing to see. That’s award is not the source of their upbeat Commitment, dedication, togetherness what the students at Dulaney High moods, well-being and better outlook and pride are concepts that Dulaney School in Timonium, , have on life. Rather, it’s the camaraderie, students have turned into a way of life become under the influence of the BFS friendship and life skills along with a that is evident in the weightroom, on program. The students are happy that high level of strength and conditioning the sports field and in the classroom.

22 | BIGGER FASTER STRONGER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 Jessica Star

Dulaney High School’s athletes, both men and women, have excelled in numerous sports and have captured many postseason championships.

Eric Upton Brynn Huffman

Dulaney High School, located in physical education classes, but also extracurricular weightlifting club that the County School System, they have inspired all of Baltimore any student can join, and the BFS is a BFS success story because not only County to use the BFS curriculum in program has helped many of the sports has the school completely integrated weight training classes for PE. teams achieve winning seasons and the BFS Total Program into their At Dulaney there’s a BFS championships. The boys lacrosse www.biggerfasterstronger.com 1-800-628-9737 | 23 BFS SUCCESS STORY teams improved from a 9-9 record in soccer and the badminton team all program had higher happiness scores 2009 to 13-6 last spring when they have had winning seasons for the past on a well-known personality test, the won the regional championship. Girls few years. Piers-Harris2. Schlenoff, a lifelong lacrosse has also benefited, going from There’s more – Dulaney school athlete and former bodybuilder, was 10-8 in ’09 to 14-3-1 last spring. The psychologist David Schlenoff, who already familiar with the numerous baseball team went 14-5 and won the is a certified BFS coach, conducted psychological benefits of exercise, Baltimore County championship in a research study that showed that but he was struck by the rapid and 2011. , girls basketball, boys girls who participated in the BFS remarkable increase in cheerfulness

Coach Korrow, spotter

Stewart German, lifter; Jason Lawson, Will Darley and Gavan Scanlan, spotters

One reason for the Lions success is their commitment to a unifi ed strength and con- ditioning program through BFS.

Melissa Webster

Anthony Rhodes, holder; Joe Fingles, runner; Nick Benhoff, on hands Kevin Turner, resister

24 | BIGGER FASTER STRONGER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 and better moods displayed by the friendship and team spirit that is evi- lacrosse team. “It’s due to the way girls he coached in the BFS program. dent in Dulaney students who partici- that we parallel squat and straight-leg They seemed more confident and pate in the BFS program goes beyond deadlift,” Fiat says. “We develop both upbeat, and Schlenoff had a feeling making exercise fun or winning on the hamstrings and the quads with the that the girls’ participation in BFS, the field. Schlenoff sees the students right strength ratio.” with its solid structure of Six Absolutes helping and encouraging each other From a recreational standpoint, for training and the Be an 11 pro- to improve the technique and perfor- the Six Absolutes of technique trans- gram, was the reason. He conducted mance in an overwhelmingly positive late into better mobility and allow stu- a research study last year and found way. The other day, Schlenoff says he dents who are new to weight training that after taking part in BFS, the girls saw this camaraderie and cohesiveness to lift without risk of injury. Schlenoff showed significant improvements in in action when he was walking outside has seen this in the female students ratings of cheerfulness, luck, ability the cafeteria after lunch and saw a and points out the importance of to get along with others, and view of number of the female students who learning proper alignment and the life circumstances. Basically, they were had just started participating in the athletic stance to ensure better move- happier! BFS Club practicing their squat tech- ment patterns. Getting “bigger” hasn’t Schlenoff says he sees how BFS nique. The girls were critiquing each been a concern among the girls he’s has transformed Dulaney students into other’s form and trying to get better. worked with – they seem to be pretty fitter, happier kids. “The weightroom “They were excited and kept saying, ‘I well informed regarding the science is packed and jammed, and the kids think I’ve got this down now.’ I was of muscle building. “They really like are excited about it,” he says, even at impressed by their social support for to get ‘toned,’” Schlenoff says of the the early hour of 6:30 a.m., when the each other. I could see that happiness female students. voluntary BFS Club meets to train. score (from the Piers-Harris2 test) Baltimore County is an area where Laughter and camaraderie are always demonstrated outside the cafeteria.” a lot of local students go to private present now in the weightroom, and schools, but offering the BFS program the sense of excitement and energy is Getting Physical: at Dulaney is one way this public palpable. the BFS Way school is able to draw high-achieving Kyle Fiat, the varsity boys lacrosse For athletes, happiness comes student athletes to the school. With coach and BFS Club sponsor, agrees. when they win and also when they the sports department, physical educa- Fiat grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, perform at their best. Fiat sees many of tion and the BFS Club, Dulaney is using the BFS program, and he is the teams getting stronger and faster, fully unified around BFS, demonstrat- “proud that the students and coaches with more and more kids going on to ing stability in a strength and condi- at Dulaney are being honored with the play college sports with the physical tioning program that leads the field in High School of the Year award because and mental foundations they learned the Baltimore region. With the athletes everyone’s dedication has been so from the BFS program. and students adopting and living by phenomenal.” Fiat coaches lacrosse, and he says the methods of BFS and Be an 11, When BFS was adopted by the that when his players learn optimal greater successes are sure to come for school, all the coaches became unified body alignment and movement pat- Dulaney athletic teams and students. around the program to help students terns in the weightroom, this carries We look forward to watching as this make physical gains and prevent over into better performance on the school leads the pack of bigger, stron- injury. “It’s awesome to see the seniors field. Proper body alignment of the ger, faster and happier students! and experienced lifters help teach the toes and knees, spreading the chest, (Laana Carrasco holds a master’s freshmen and first-time lifters the cor- always being tall, and keeping the degree in journalism from the University rect power clean or parallel squat form eyes on target are all coaching cues of Colorado and worked as a strength using the Six Absolutes,” Fiat says. He that are essential to allow players to and conditioning intern for Harvard points to the students’ effort and com- excel against opponents and avoid University and Brown University. mitment to the program in learning injury. The injury rate at the school She is currently a writer for Poliquin the ins and outs of the BFS program. is down, and this past year Fiat had Performance in East Greenwich, Rhode The sense of togetherness, no hamstring injuries on the boys Island.) www.biggerfasterstronger.com 1-800-628-9737 | 25