Firm. Strong. Independent. Diligent. Serious. Resourceful. Courageous. Inspiring. Intellectual. My Grandpa. My Grandfather started off weightlifting in his basement when he was about 15 years old. Just starting off, he turned to health magazines for help. He created his own weights with homemade cans of sand & cement and cable-chest expanders. Around age 18 he was recruited for the U.S. military. He was stationed in Germany. While he was stationed he participated in weightlifting exhibitions throughout Europe with teammates such as Tommy Kono. Throughout his weightlifting career he had many accomplishments, too much to list. I chose these important accomplishments that attributed to his current nickname, The Legend.
My grandpa worked out with Chicago Bears players such as Stan Jones, Dave Whitsell, Doug Atkins, and Ronnie Bull, at the Irving YMCA. George Halas was looking for ways to improve the team and my grandpa was his ticket. After inviting my grandpa to meet with him he asked him to come up with a training plan for the team. The Bears won the championship that same year, proving the importance of strength training and my grandpas knowledge of it! In 1971, the Bears officially hired him to become their first full-time strength and conditioning coach, making him one of the first strength coaches in the NFL. He coached for about 20 years, then moved onto administration work. About 14 years later he was asked by the Strength & Conditioning Coach, Rusty Jones, to return to the weight room to help the players with their training. At age 77, he returned to the weight room, excited to have the opportunity to once again share his vast knowledge and experience in strength training with the athletes. He is STILL at age 87, about to be 88 in April, in the weightroom with these players sharing everything he knows. In 2008, the Chicago Bears honored their longest tenured employee by naming their weight room after him. It is called the “Clyde Emrich Weight Room”. HOW COOL!? He has over 60 years of weight lifting experience and continues to be the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Chicago Bears at age 87! You go Grandpa! Clyde Emrich, my grandpa, a living legend, is a member of the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame, the Illinois State Weightlifting Hall of Fame, the USA Strength and Conditioning Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. He is known as "The Legend". In the times I have visited him at work, Halas Hall, everyone that passes addresses him as “The Legend”. So suiting for such an incredible man. Every time I see my grandpa I learn something new about his incredible life. He teaches me a new lesson I will value and cherish forever. Grandpa Clyde, you are my inspiration in everything that I do. I would not be the person I am today without you.
2 Comments
3/21/2019 06:33:32 am
Now that is impressive! Now I see where you get your discipline from! What a great role model for you!
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Natasha
3/21/2019 11:52:44 am
How interesting to learn about him! I grew up in Chicago, but (not being much of a sports person), had no idea of the cutting edge work that had happened in the Bears' weight room, nor did I think about all the people who worked behind the scenes to help the team be so successful. It sounds like your grandpa is an amazing person to know and be able to learn from.
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AuthorI am a second grade teacher at Irving Elementary School in a co-taught classroom! Archives
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