JFIFC    $ &%# #"(-90(*6+"#2D26;=@@@&0FKE>J9?@=C  =)#)==================================================" }!1AQa"q2#BR$3br %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz w!1AQaq"2B #3Rbr $4%&'()*56789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz ?QhO֢gAhnN,&MOR1n窰]yZX'9 @ 95t;vq$|0kA BHx|eh˕+_ \|UwO.ȫ( GW >msGJH:U4Q$bAPG\O1k\C%OPㄷ(>UNk>HDa6o d1 a6n۷BQXZ}W +LI%E],hp3;ho1^?/iapO^g`.8@g  &]i7JTq^PTeMy3xkTܧ$HFjmmo@/ Y'xݯnÅ`(BdFp0P2sUn)kϦse `A=ү~YeLkL鸞Rع'.,_sʌ ph<+bg k?YGml]ļMsLNmmr*& Ym-n 1pzTeq|M`y}B ַ+Ir 'hRIv^֤,n" *8׭pzmťWΪs q2 #ޯw-+?ԩ8a=zP[neъmylJHKOu}\`1m$2čhخ5&I ǭ[ӯe2sd|+ !*Ha:|+Ic?6qs@e.G!?U#wXEY#4Vf2O1WĒhrZYKIuZkz=]HD1tV; Q XG0BGWICb#˥$~RAgGYy1+r Y5mԑթqZJVj'&Vڜ/5ޔb|:ݫ3Wq [V壸vo+p=9}jthԼH8%.#*(j6&i<v^³4h&]bR`Lki9=SQwyWfյ^ԣK27c\&e6 䎌.mEKymjLGtM0$ ݱmxEQ,0=6&$@6rF{V=Oa;k{nPB@L@%U"^PrIÚKUL|?.<@=u"=%t=.}9RG$(үلW$d7R5b,r$ r(W&Ybs8#]Dž5^e[}\֗El,  Õ+Ca5̲N[E] iZ}H^`qLGZq[,A2ZX Ew"~o Qx :nJőOe/㸔98>[PKRr~PlSIO'FO@7JӚ}(+أPlmAqMFOL" o!LEKz5RJ!}rpEiiLbKHH9 OmhPAS28wryzF9?SXwpm N:uYGwPlu@Ke@&]?ݠ ,&0tV*eAr۵Νsy3j#d3$l#z.\:t?[OS,a lO[BKg3P.8F>Ml"s@vx e3VֵYMܘcAݘ{S8K=2 Y$cڹk\%U}W( Yi >չJA ja<k돳n8Žhz4R(ϽmEFI*Fn3@HqUg]jĄt|]:F|MKcE%ĨSM@/ бBi݃95,d {Ӆx(7\)=kHZGS xdEƀ*} Ѿ˂Uϴ 3ϭt0Ʃp>ꇊ<(:&oe aAvmFrOq}wc9xf9gaRMw6[[E|1rjG[o÷`L<­z$S+4/\ o b$At>J'7NkUD89UeSA䅣{+pp)Z9BKQv-ۑ~ٝ&/a?F>NEs%WP8; i62%RƊlgay`FB ުD1ѓw.soh$IeMҶ.d<`ܟuI/썮Q?2{mXx%R7Tm -"]Zx}GSr*ZJǏӊW3 uk" asq8v4]fgl*EE<#ۥN-i~J$x1EM7[dv >?t7ĚĚlI-lKvl PP+= n'X,daWisqjl0ǡ T8MݎhB rhJ_ E[>(>Z }iq5.rG@*=T+ϱF=E;a ?whғ`h@˞0}QyC|b Kv;TB7v\P*/0q1ExZ2 rj*!@+[Ѽ5{m9ۈ`m/D7 ܣ#],Fxa9:[xvO!x$?uIj6gS2c\4ԏZ_,c'OPMڍpi!o=0# @3ޘF2F5*/=4܂(E9_;a0$)F@y@ 3NʑȩKOaB(ې0}ip09 SHP8s@(#ץ;4|A\4=903ڊand strength to succeed. You now have to add speed to that factor. Because of this, we try to create a faster, more explosive athlete here in the weight room. Through the workout program, we try to improve their 40-yard dash time and their vertical jump. Our primary focus is to get the athletes in shape as well as have them at the peak of their performance throughout the season.<br> Our players get motivated when they come in and actually see themselves getting faster, more explosive, and it allows them to have a good time. That alone motivates players. They come in and feed off each other, they see the others getting bigger, faster and stronger. They just don t want to get left behind.<br> The most rewarding part of my job as a strength and conditioning coach is being able to watch the athletes perform on Saturdays after training them for nearly eight months. Game days are great. <br>Marshall University is a state-supported university and traces its origins back to 1837. There are about 16,000 students including 4,000 graduate and medical students. Not only is the athletic program on the rise, so is the whole university. More than $150 million in physical improvements and expansion have taken place in the 1990 s. In addition, a 30,000-seat, state-of- the-art MU Football Stadium has been constructed so that the capacity can be expanded to 55,000. It features a modern scoreboard which stands 37 feet high and measures 54 feet long replete with video display capabilities.<br>One question I had to ask. Why the Thundering Herd? I thought buffalo roamed the great western plains not the hills of West Virginia. I was wrong. Apparently, way back, there were buffalo. The  Thundering Herd of buffalo provided the natives with nearly every substance needed for human survival. The name was actually taken from the title of one of Zane Gray s Old West novels and has been used by Marshall since 1919.<br>Two players represent the buffalo s survival attributes. Paul Toviessi and Doug Hodges are an inspiration and they may help any reader have a desire to do a little better:<br>Paul is a first generation American. His parents came from the French speaking country of Benin which is just northwest of Nigeria in Africa.  My dad is fluent in four languages, says Paul proudly. <br>Paul grew up in Alexandria, Virginia where he played three sports at West Potomac High School. He played football, basketball and was on the track team. Paul made the All-State team as a tight end and defensive end. As a senior, he was 6-6 and 215 pounds. Paul started to lift seriously as a 9th grader and by his senior year achieved the following marks: Bench-280, Squat-350, Dead Lift-315, 40-  at lea