Veltkamp wants all of the Razorbacks to be bell-ringers

— Bob Holt

Posted on Wednesday, April 9, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/222276/

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas’ weight room is loaded with state-of-the-art equipment, but also prominently displayed is an old cast-iron bell.

Jason Veltkamp, the Razorbacks ’ new strength and conditioning coach, bought the bell, which used to ring atop a school house, on the Internet from an antiques dealer.

While the core of Veltkamp’s philosophy is about helping develop football players, not weight-lifters or workout wonders, he rewards players who set a personal record on any of the weight room machines by letting them ring the bell as a signal to all they have accomplished something significant.

Veltkamp said the bell also will be in the Razorbacks’ locker room during games — home and away — as a reminder of what they want to accomplish on the field.

“On Saturday Coach [Bobby ] Petrino will talk to the kids about ringing the bell,” Veltkamp said. “The last thing they will see as they leave the locker room is the bell mounted on a big ‘A,’ and they’re going to know to go out and have their best performance.”

Veltkamp began the practice of having players ring the bell in the weight room at Louisville, where he previously worked for Petrino.

In recent years, he has bought bells that once rung on locomotives, submarines, churches and schools.

“You don’t want it too high-pitched a ring,” Veltkamp said. “A good, strong lower pitch is what you want to hear.”

Veltkamp said a Louisville player once broke a bell while ringing it.

“But that’s good,” he said. “That means you’re getting to ring the bell a lot.”