Head coach Chan Gailey reached into his coaching past at both the collegiate and professional levels to address his strength and conditioning department as the Bills named Eric Ciano and John Gamble co-strength and conditioning coordinators Tuesday.
Gailey explained why he chose to hire a pair of specialists to head up the department.
"We decided to bring in two head strength and conditioning coaches to let them specialize in the specific areas each coach works in and we feel like we've hired two unbelievable people to run that department for us," said Gailey. "The combination of these two guys is going to pay real dividends for our team."
Ciano has spent the past five years as Georgia Tech's Director of Player Development, his first two under Gailey, who at the time was head coach of the Yellow Jackets. He oversaw the University's strength and conditioning program for all sports while working primarily with the football team.
He previously served as associate head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Tennessee (2002-2003) and spent two years as the head strength and conditioning coach at Louisiana Tech (2000-02).
"Eric came through the University of Tennessee system which is renowned for producing great coaches in the strength and conditioning area," Gailey said. "He was our strength and conditioning coach at Georgia Tech and did an unbelievable job in getting our young men bigger, stronger, quicker and faster through the years."
Ciano earned his bachelor's degree in 1997 from Springfield (Mass.) College, where he lettered in football. He added a master's degree from Tennessee in 1999. Ciano is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Gamble has also worked with Gailey as he has been a member of the Miami Dolphins staff since 1994 when Hall of Fame coach Don Shula hired him as the team's strength and conditioning coach. After 12 years as the Dolphins strength and conditioning coach, Gamble spent the last four seasons as the club's Director of Player Development.
"John Gamble has a wealth of experience at the NFL level," said Gailey. "He's a great leader of men as well as a great strength and conditioning coach. He gives us so much knowledge and background in gaining strength, mass and power and that's what we're really looking forward to having him bring to our program."
Twice named Strength Coach of the Year, once at the college level in 1985 during his 10-year stint at the University of Virginia, and again in 1998 while with the Dolphins, Gamble has been recognized by both the National Strength and Conditioning Association and the Professional Strength Coaches Society.
Gamble also spent eight years as the Virginia State Director for the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
A world renowned powerlifter, Gamble was ranked number one in the world from 1981 to 1983 in the 275-pound class, and was inducted into the U.S. Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 1999.
