JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?j( ( +*_h%IK.9 L_ٷA'?Ƌ05謓+@pV_4xȶ6|ي%cO{8IQpֳeZsYD#hSnZMH: cq֚(_Ly>N7=FL< sW܍+th4t2RFs ֠SKdWfK&H0O\t0(CߵY:}9JҲ6J5˝{cӂ0}*ԡ{#3dj5u|-̡Ojt[Aa$BPd+@[:*cmU cHG>LZ>B(((( ^b"XX߽zO'QKO%An$^[lH<-).|?uzˑ۷͏|cŸ sH8nA^V=-%dP}i2U?FG)ZmQq )x?ħ7ZV/mm!⛤kN=Mi^!Y40vAyXJUJAJ]Oz9]DžPDǜL dE;9zW9Yѕ cf5nv@M_GXf;- ReV Ŭe>V%GRvRlR8a>ȴmŴiJ#Ga),VP NcYI\ɕu޸mƶ#tMѻE:inX^IE>:璿֯$LAMu&2Kӟj9 lk$?Lcn1&Fxj#FNO6CZ;ݗ1#ɘe/KȡąWxxz)e+gzӵKd6d &Mqa5*Yv8.rqUl-$}y08SP[!1=f\]V}zVS* ii *rO== a)}Fj(IsŽ53<]Xt8-=?òZ&[3l{ם\ ,1F~gǽnxYLDR?ץ-tRmV IVA${ӽ9ާ^xSӢYo,3gBT2.b 5^#O)c6~yS4Y5iKV>Okd)((((d}z;l@ǯ\g*g26GW<>˦U'g&amZY:7\-Li`J- #e!CNҧfinD< < \ {H n[H5"Kr}ٽ6Deri΃ F7o|U+:h 07mnvSYV6q-Km=%˄;by'dDd@=~(qm+ =1{O X),wޥN1.'M= U"`$R58|N}*'%mgYHԂGj ښlf`~W_zR:]R_2<{!#7(\|0Sil 3֥on+\E 8Y cclmR>tS ( ( ( (<7➞ۛ8f<.1^[Tծ;WWmA֒dAmn>p9CGФ&8Ud<PЬIa3L;* >ޗ#ʋIG6] B,9؃$a\*K Iֹ-]Wf?tKJh*'viPCֺ@Am<yOOޤ3i[؛!fV;t?+jacB-r5@l-ePpC/FWgc9+s:B39K@\"WewmE:V\6 o9t'R;Q\Eea3VNWc]H7ֵ5\3=E$)4 eA>~ ۃd 2ǥs6w"dx毥Ҳ vVhM<90Rss,7ȼq>שG:wV)s?ʼK IfRE&j̓??G*8??G*@((((Ow.W<Er6ę#+g۬g\ rVighI, ٩w䋎8pW81">)еdJnNA=rs` W֖ŦCmLr[z_aG V,% E?g$'>ބpg PAhZG?IU.Rv5!EPEPEPQQKq80SMnC&fl|KpJUQ Q5ie%*^Yzq=Gٴ` y5x#)gr!-p>*]".ZP b([$[[v֫1>b:' ?5T}ive;ԠVJ} 9_ye!0 ԃ3QʪP* JrGt; H Mm JucV#j;$<֪Z VsRVg1I_Hŏj2y 4`㯵IcrsƑiu9:Tַ>D6v0@pzќkCb@A=?_JH by Coach Bowden is really pushing hard to get the things that he feels can build a national championship program, and he supports our strength program 100 percent, says Batson.  He wants us to feel a  sense of urgency in everything we do; he tells us,  We can t wait until tomorrow--we have to do it today!, and  if you don t feel it, then Clemson ain t the place for you.  <br><br>Not Just a Paper Tiger <br><br>If you get the sense that being a strength coach at Clemson is a demanding job, you re right. But Coach Batson is up to the challenge and has exceeded even Coach Bowden s demanding expectations.<br>A native of Georgia, Batson says he caught the lifting bug when he started pumping iron in a basement gym with his cousin.  We had a high school coach who gave us a strength program. Although we didn t quite know what we were doing, we enjoyed lifting. As his love for lifting eventually evolved into a desire to be a strength coach, after college, Batson accepted graduate-assistant jobs to perfect his skills. He took on greater responsibilities at smaller schools, and four years ago became the head strength coach at Clemson.<br>Batson says one of the biggest influences in his training philosophy has been Louie Simmons, arguably the most accomplished powerlifting coach in the world.  Several years ago I spent some time visiting Louie and I still talk to him about every two months--Louie has been a great help to me, says Batson.  His gym is pretty barbaric--there s not much there--but it just shows you that you can take some barbells and dumbbells, a glute-ham bench and a power rack and get just about as strong as anybody. <br>The Clemson strength program is well staffed with four full-time coache, three graduate assistants, two student assistants and one volunteer. With that level of help, Batson is able to group his athletes under separate coaches, which allows for greater individuality. But Clemson s commitment to footbal doesn t stop with quality coaches.<br>Batson says Bowden is pushing hard to get a 10,000-square-foot weightroom completed as soon as possible, one that will cater primarily to football.  We ve got a brand new football complex in the works, says Batson.  When you add that accomplishment to our indoor-turf field, it s a program that you know is only going to get better. <br>Although Batson has made it to the top of his profession, he is realistic when encouraging others to follow in his footsteps.  If you really want to get involved in this profession, you need to sit down with someone who is established in the field and let them tell it to you straight. It s a long, hard road, and I think a lot of guys get into it and don t realize the amount of time they have to put in, says Batson, who often finds himself working 14-hour days.  It s pretty brutal--you have to have a love for it. That s for sure. <br>The advice Batson gives prospective college football players in regard to their strength program depends upon the high school and the strength program they are coming from.  Some guys come in cleaning and squatting with very good technique, and you always have pretty good bench pressers. What I generally see that needs the most work is overall conditioning, and we often have to elevate their work capacity so they can handle the amount of work they do on the field. <br><br>Training Grrrrrrrreat <br>Tigers!ine tuned athletes. Amy is an athlete that has had to work hard to overcome adversity. When Amy was in high school her parents divorced. As we talked about overcoming hardships and coping with negative aspects in life, Amy commented by saying, "Everyone has obstacles and you can make them to be as big as you want, it's just the way you go about handling them. The important thing is how you react and deal with the problems, that's what makes you a better person.