Head, Florida State University
Former Florida State Strength and Conditioning Coach Dave Van Halanger was named Director of Strength and Conditioning for the University of Georgia football program in January of 2001 by new UGA head coach Mark Richt. Van Halanger, who had been at Florida State the past 18 years, spent five years as Head Strength Coach at his alma mater, West Virginia, prior to his arrival at FSU in July, 1983.
Under Van Halanger's direction, the average student-athlete gained 20-25 pounds, added 100 pounds to his bench press and 200 pounds to his squat during his years at FSU. He was one of three Strength Coaches featured in a July 1998 issue of Sports Illustrated. Last January he was the Strength Coach of the 2000 Gridiron Classic in Orlando and in 1999 became the first strength coach in the 75-year history of the East-West Shrine Game to be asked to coach the team. Van Halanger was also named the 1993 Strength Coach of the Year by the NFL Coaches.
A four-year letterman under Coach Bobby Bowden at West Virginia, Van Halanger was co-captain of the 1975 West Virginia Peach Bowl team. An offensive tackle, he earned All-East honors his junior and senior seasons and was an honorable mention All-America selection as a senior. He played professionally with the Atlanta Falcons in 1976 before returning to WVU as a graduate assistant and head junior varsity coach. He became the full-time strength coach at WVU in 1978.
Van Halanger is currently serving a five-year term as a member of the National Board of Ethics for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He has taught several classes on strength training and conditioning, available to FSU students and the Tallahassee community. Van Halanger was also a leader in FSU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes group.
Van Halanger, a native of Turtle Creek, Pa., and his wife, Michele, have four children-Danielle, Julie and Matthew.
