bundle of what looked like two-foot broomsticks. The kids paired up and Annese led them through a number of isometric exercises using resistance.
Senior Charlie Lange asked Joe, ‘Is this for real?’
   The guys had never heard of Isometrics and thought it was a fancy word Coach created that meant stretching. After all, he was pretty convincing. It looked half-ass at first and the kids goofed around like they had a substitute teacher for gym class. But as the hour progressed, so did the kids. Annese got them sweating, working, and busting it out as best they could with dowel rods. He produced a team of young men who all felt muscles the next day that they didn’t realize existed. And they didn’t have to touch a weight to do it!
   The weight room that followed a year later made that Sunday afternoon ancient history. It showed that the kids began to believe in their coach on a new level. The school purchased new weightlifting equipment with a substantial amount of money donated by the Montrose Blueberry Committee.
    The Rams became seriously involved in weightlifting by meeting four times a week during the season, and five days a week the rest of the year, including summer. The coaches manned the weight room from 8 AM to 8 PM during the summer and committed to spend whatever time it took, realizing benefits would be reaped later.
   Reinhart was a national powerlifting champion himself and had the muscles to prove it. His solid frame still held the look of a serious bodybuilder. He was short and fit with a face that resembled Mike Ditka, then head coach for the Chicago Bears. His polo shirt stretched so tight around his biceps that he pushed the elbow length sleeves up his forearms to prevent cutting off his circulation. It was either cap `em or rip `em, and ruin a good shirt. Reinhart’s thick mustache only added to his tough guy appearance, while his thighs appeared as large as the slim cheerleaders’ waists. He had a way of standing stiff with arms pushed from his sides, as if expecting someone to throw a tackle at any moment. Reinhart was unaware that his stance alone intimidated the defensive players. No one really wanted to mess with him.
    His credentials alone earned him recognition from his squad, along with an eagerness to learn the proper technique. Looking at him was like watching a live infomercial; they wanted his results. Naturally, freshmen were in a hurry to bulk up, falling victim to thick seniors strutting their machoism. ‘Hey, is that all you can lift?’
   Reinhart constantly harped on the big guys to not push the smaller ones around. He wanted them to increase their strength, but didn’t want any injuries, and showed them firsthand what not to do. Ron Newton watched wide-eyed, observing how Reinhart could hardly reach the back of his head to comb his hair. His elbows just wouldn’t give. ‘Newt’ discovered that his head defensive coach fell prey to what happens when you don’t fully extend your arms during reps.