Due to Covid-19 restrictions the annual Skills Competition held at Skowhegan Area High
School consisting of a Big Man Battle and 7-on-7 Tournament is being canceled. In an
effort to not completely miss out on the events this year, we encourage you to have your
lineman run through the Big Man events if and when we are allowed to work with our
athletes this summer. Hopeful for July workouts to actually take place, Skowhegan plans
to use the Big Man events as an end of July showcase to push our lineman to work hard
throughout the month and see how much they can gain.
Below you will find the six individual events that have been part of the competition
the last few years and a seventh “create your own” relay course. We may not all have
access to the same equipment, so please feel free to modify or exchange events to fit your
needs. Record your times and repetitions and send them to me along with any video you
can take. I will keep track of all the entries and get results sent out at the end of summer.
Any video sent in will be used to create promotional highlights of the event. Due to the
nature of completing the competition remotely, we will forgo awards and trophies this
year and compete instead for personal improvement and love of the game.
I am sure many of our regular attendees at the Skills Competition will take part, and I am
hopeful that the no cost, remote opportunity that this year presents will encourage other
schools to join in. With no 7-on-7 aspect this year, the event will get back to its roots. In
2010 Coach Matt Friedman started the Big Man Battle to showcase the foundation of our
teams, the lineman, and I look forward to seeing who will take part in continuing this
event’s tradition.
Thank you,
Coach Ryan Libby
Skowhegan Area High School
rlibby@msad54.org
207-431-9876
Traditional Big Man Battle Events
1. BENCH PRESS
Players will complete as many proper repetitions with 135lbs as they can. Players must lower the
weight to their chest and lock out at the top each time to count as a legitimate repetition. It is the
judge’s discretion as to whether reps count.
2. CAR TIRE THROW
Players will throw a car tire, discus-style for distance. Player can only use one arm. Discus-style
spinning is accepted. Player’s feet must stay behind the line or a fault will be called. Each player
gets two attempts maximum. A fault results in loss of attempt and the player will not get a redo.
3. PRO SHUTTLE
To perform this shuttle, run a 5, 10 and 5-yard sprint. Players will start in the middle of the
course. They will sprint 5 yards (right or left); sprint back 10 yards, then sprint 5 more yards past
the middle starting point. Player’s hand must start on the ground and player must touch the
ground past each cone.
4. TRACTOR TIRE FLIP
Players will flip an empty tractor tire for 20 yards. Players will have to flip it completely,
allowing the tire to “settle” while at the same time staying within the course. (Lines 10 feet apart)
This will be a timed event.
5. WEIGHTED SLED PULL
Players will sit inside a tractor tire and pull a weighted sled towards them with a 45lb plate on it,
past the finish line. The player must remain seated within the tire the entire pull. Each contestant
will have two opportunities. This is a timed event.
6. WEIGHTED 40-YARD DASH
The player will pull a weight sled with a 45lb plate on it attached to a body harness while running
a 40-yard dash. The clock will start on the player’s first movement and stop when the player, not
the sled, breaks the 40-yard mark.
7. “Create Your Own” Team Relay
Be creative! Come up with stations for your team of five lineman to race through. Feel free to
set up the course as we did last year or make your own. We look forward to seeing what you
come up with and may incorporate any ideas that we like into future Skills Competition Relays.
2019 Relay course: 1st Leg: First player will perform the tractor tire flip.
2nd Leg: Second player flips tire back
3rd Leg: Weighted sled pull.
4th Leg: 1-man sled push for 20 yards.
5th Leg: weighted 40-yard dash.
