Founding an Organization That
Shaped a Profession
Epley and the NSCA Years
Boyd’s leadership extended far beyond Nebraska. Through the founding of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), he united coaches, researchers, and athletes across the nation — helping shape strength and conditioning into a respected profession.
May 10, 2007
Honored as Legend in the Field
I was honored as a Legend in the Field by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. The award is given for efforts on behalf of the strength and conditioning profession. These four “Legends” were the first in the nation to receive this award.
2001
The NSCA celebrates a 30 year anniversary and presented the President and all the former President’s a gold ring.
October 13-16, 2007
Tom Osborne Returns as Athletic Director
The football team lost its homecoming game 45-14 to Oklahoma State. Two days later, Nebraska Athletic Director, Steve Pederson was fired by chancellor Harvey Perlman.
Tom Osborne was announced as the Nebraska Athletic Director.
2007
President’s Award
I was presented the President’s Award from the Professional Strength Coaches Association in honor of Clyde Emrich, Louis Riecke, and Stan Jones.
2007
J.R. Epley Becomes a Certified Personal Trainer at NSCA
Meanwhile in Colorado Springs my son Jay Robert (J.R.) is a certified personal trainer (NSCA-CPT) and works in the NSCA certification department.
2008
“Building Linemen” Manual Published
I wrote a manual “Building Linemen” featuring 48 All-American linemen from the Husker Power Era.
2008
Return to Nebraska and Family Ties
Jane are getting back to Nebraska for a few games. A bonus is seeing daughter Jenna and her finance’ Chase Beideck a former Nebraska scholarship shot putter and discus thrower from Kearney. Chase came to the NSCA headquarters in Colorado Springs to do a 12 week internship and stayed with the Jane and I.
December 2008
Jenna Epley Pursues Nursing Degree
Jenna Epley pursues a Registered Nursing Degree in Omaha to
add to her bachelor’s degree.
July 2009
NSCA Renames Lifetime Achievement Award
NSCA President Lee Brown asks the Board of Directors to re-name the NSCA Lifetime Achievement Award the Boyd Epley Award for Lifetime Achievement. I had been the first to receive the award in 1993.
2009
40th Anniversary Strength Coach Honor
Before the 299th straight sell out game in Memorial stadium got underway I was honored as the University of Nebraska celebrated the 40th anniversary of hiring the first full-time paid strength coach in college history.
July 2009
The National High School Index Championship
The NSCA hosted the National High School Index Championship to qualify for the NSCA International Index Championship. The highest index total determined the champions.
September 12, 2009
Reunion with Tom Osborne
Athletic Director Tom Osborne took time to have a photo taken with me in the actual office where he and Bob Devaney made collegiate history by hiring the first paid strength coach. I was Tom Osborne’s only Head Strength Coach during his twenty five year career as Nebraska Head Football Coach.
November 6, 2009
NU vs. OU Reunion and Celebration
Many major award winners from both Nebraska and Oklahoma were on hand for the festivities this gameday. Larry the Cable Guy provided some great laughs.
Barry Switzer and I get a chance to catch up at the NU vs OU festivities. Barry has been a good friend to Nebraska and me over the years. He hired both Jim Williams and Jerry Schmidt to be Oklahoma Strength Coaches.
June 23, 2010
Carey E. McDonald Citation Award
President Virgil Polak of the National High School Coaches Association (NHSACA) presented me with the Carey E. McDonald National Citation Award for my work nationally with high schools.
July 2010
Strength of America Award Created
The NSCA in conjunction with the Presidents Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition creates the Strength of America Award for High Schools that reach the gold standard in Program, Supervision and Facilities.
July 2010
Steve Bliss Receives Epley Award
Former Nebraska assistant strength
coach from Omaha Burke HS was
presented the Boyd Epley Award for
Lifetime Achievement. Steve was the
first strength coach at the University
of Miami and the first strength coach
at the Ohio State University.
July 2010
EPIC Index Used at State Games
The Colorado State Games used the EPIC Performance Index to determine the best athlete. The winners from each sport were invited to participate.
September 2010
40th Anniversary of 1970 Championship
Players and coaches from the 1970 National Championship Team gathered the night before a game and were introduced at the game in Memorial Stadium to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Nebraska’s first national championship.
October 2010
First RSCC*E Distinction Awarded
The NSCA board of directors approved the RSCC*E distinction which honors certified strength coaches with 20 years or more of experience. I was the first to receive this distinction and the RSCC ring.
2010
Task Force on Athlete Safety
I was asked to participate in the Inter-Association Task Force for Preventing Sudden Death in Collegiate Conditioning Sessions. There were several recommendations made but the one most needed is 8 which asks that no sport coaches oversee strength coaches. This structure has helped contribute to multiple deaths in the last few years in conditioning sessions. Not football practice or games but conditioning sessions.
December 2010
Jenna Gets Married to Chase
My daughter Jenna Epley is married to Chase Beideck at the Champions Club in Lincoln, Nebraska and purchase a home in Omaha.
January 2011
Jon Jost Coach of the Year
Jon Jost a former Nebraska assistant strength coach from Seward is presented the NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award. Jon was the Head Strength Coach at Holy Cross then SMU before having a great career at Florida State.
February 2011
Dave Redding Hall of Fame Inductee
Dave Redding a former Nebraska defensive end from North Platte and strength coach for Washington State, Missouri, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers, helped win the Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers. Dave was inducted into the USA Strength Coaches Hall of Fame in 2006.
May 5, 2011
My wife and I with family and friends When I was presented the 2011 Nebraska Alumni Award
2011
Hendricks Training Center Expansion
Mike Arthur oversaw the expansion and relocation of the Bob Devaney Sports Center weight room which is now known as the Hendricks Training Center. This facility is used by Nebraska basketball, gymnastics and wrestling student-athletes.
The 5,000-square foot Hendricks Training Center features five transformers for platform explosive training and circuit training equipment to put on muscle.
2011
J.R. Epley Leads Championship Season
J.R. Epley trained the Colorado College Lacrosse Team to a 15-1 Championship Season. He then decided he needed to leave Colorado and the NSCA Certification Department to finish his college degree at the University of Nebraska Omaha.
July 2011
Bobby Bowden Praises Husker Power
Bobby Bowden was the keynote speaker at the NSCA National Conference. Bobby at one time had three strength coaches from Nebraska on his football staff. He was quoted in Sports Illustrated saying, “Nebraska fundamentally changed the way a football game is played because of its strength program.”
2011
“Jack Bench” Displayed at Museum
The University of Nebraska sent the “Jack Bench” to the Lutcher Stark Museum to be displayed. The bench has two tractor jacks that allowed the athletes to adjust the bar depending on the height needed. Nebraska is known as the birthplace of strength and conditioning for collegiate athletes and also is the birthplace of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
2011
1971 Team Honored as Greatest Ever
The 1971 Nebraska Football team and coaches were honored in Memorial Stadium to celebrate the 40 year anniversary of their National Championship. According to Sporting News after 125 years of college football the 71 Huskers were the selected as the Greatest Team that ever played. I was very proud to be their Strength and Conditioning Coach.
2011
Alloy Strength Complex Established
Back in 2004 I included a sand volleyball court inside the Hawks Championship Center along with Baseball hitting cages. The Olympic size indoor sand volleyball court came in handy when the NCAA made Sand Volleyball an official sport. NCAA games have been played here each year since.
Mike Arthur took out the batting cages and created the David and Carol Alloy Strength Complex located in the Hawks Championship Center.
The Alloy Strength Complex is utilized by Husker volleyball, baseball, softball, rifle, soccer, track & field, cross country, bowling, golf, tennis, cheer and dance. This space became available when the hitting cages were moved to the Alex Gordon Training Complex in Haymarket Park. Two Ground Based Circuit training lanes and ten Transformers are used for student-athletes to build muscle.
January 2012
NSCA History and Awards Display Created
I was asked to oversee the National Strength and Conditioning Association history and awards and asked Awards Unlimited in Lincoln for help to display the major awards in the NSCA lobby located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The award stands shown to the right are patterned after Nebraska’s National Championship Volleyball award stands.
July 18, 2012
My mom Muriel Epley turned 90.
July 2012
NSCA 35th Anniversary Celebration
The NSCA celebrated 35 years at the National Convention in Providence, RI. Jim Williams and Pete Martinelli joined me on stage to tell stories about how the NSCA was created. Former NFL coach Dick Vermeil was on hand to present the Boyd Epley Award for Lifetime Achievement to his brother Al Vermeil. Al is a Legend in the strength and conditioning field with six championship rings from the Chicago Bulls.
June 18, 2012
My wife’s grandmother Dorothy Carlson turned 100.
August 2012
Jenna Beideck Accepted to Doctorate Program
Jenna Epley Beideck shown with husband Chase, is accepted to
the Creighton University Doctorate of Nursing Practitioner Program
in Acute Cardiac Care.
December 20, 2012
Cash Beideck is Born
Jenna and Chase Beideck brought a very special young man into the world. Cash Beideck. Jane and my first grandchild. Check out the thigh muscles in this 9 month old.
January 2, 2013
Tom Osborne Retires as Athletic Director
Tom Osborne retires as Nebraska Athletic Director. Tom Osborne consistently led by example which allowed athletes and staff to trust that he would always do the right thing. If he said something you could count on it being the truth. He looked you in the eye and truly cared about each person. In 1976 when I was hired by the Detroit Lions he said, “IF you stay with me here at Nebraska, I will always be there for you.” That was all I needed to hear.
Regarding the Husker Power contribution to his coaching career, Osborne said, “Boyd Epley created Husker Power and was sort of the gold standard of strength coaches. We got some players who came to Nebraska partly because of the fact that Boyd was there.”
2013
Shawn Eichorst is hired by Nebraska
Shawn Eichorst is hired by Nebraska. Eichorst relied on a strong value system and a student-centered approach to lead the department.
January 5, 2013
Mike Arthur and J.R. Speak at NSCA
Mike Arthur, CSCS and RSCC*E, Hall of Fame Strength Coach from Nebraska and my first paid assistant speaks at the NSCA Coaches Conference in Nashville with my son J.R. Epley demonstrating. Regarding the Husker Power contribution to his coaching career, Osborne said, “Boyd Epley created Husker Power and was sort of the gold standard of strength coaches. We got some players who came to Nebraska partly because of the fact that Boyd was there.”
September 16, 2014
President’s Council Lifetime Achievement Award
I was presented the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award is presented by the Department of Health in Washington, D.C. to recognize individuals whose careers have greatly contributed to the advancement or promotion of physical activity, fitness, sports and nutrition-related programs nationwide.
Recipients are selected by members of the President’s Council based on the span and scope of an individual’s career, the estimated number of lives they have touched, and the impact of their legacy. I was the first strength and conditioning coach to ever be honored with this prestigious award.
September 20, 2014
1994 Championship Team Honored
The 1994 National Championship Football team is honored prior to the start of the Miami game at Memorial Stadium. Coaches and players took the field to create a tunnel walk for the current football team.
September 14, 2014
Halftime Lifetime Achievement Honors
Also that evening Bill Byrne (former Nebraska Athletic Director) and I are honored at half-time. Bill was honored with the NCAA Lifetime Achievement Award while I was honored with the Lifetime Achievement award from the President’s Council.
September 22, 2014
Return as Assistant Athletic Director
The University of Nebraska Athletic Department announced that I will return to Nebraska as the Assistant Athletic Director for Strength and Conditioning.
