SHADYSIDE — The Shadyside Athletic Boosters will hold the 14th annual Big Cat Lineman Challenge at Fleming Field on Friday, July 19 beginning at 2 p.m.

The Lineman Challenge is a friendly but intense competition amongst high school football linemen from in and around the OVAC. It consists of 10 different events including the bench press, sandbag fill, truck push, an obstacle course which linemen utilize their speed and agility to get through a painstaking course that stretches them to their limits, the sled push, a medicine ball throw, farmers walk, the pro agility drill and the tug-o-war. The latter being the event that has decided the winner of the team competition for each of the last five years.

“After getting out of coaching, I still wanted to stay involved with our program somehow,” said event coordinator Doug Campbell. “I started attending some booster meetings and they were looking for some fresh ideas for events. I had been doing some research, mainly on the internet and found some videos from similar events in California, Florida, and Texas. They take this seriously in Texas. So seriously that they have state qualifiers and major championships. So, I took what I saw and put it down on paper. Once I was satisfied with what I had, I took it to the next booster meeting and brought it up before the group.”

Campbell went on to say that the marriage with the boosters could not be better for the event. He noted that Booster President Bud Davis, former treasurer Joe Sedinger, and current treasurer Dennis Palicka, as well as booster member Larry Howell were all instrumental in helping to get the event off the ground.

“This event doesn’t happen without those guys and the rest of the Boosters Club,” he said.

Campbell went on to credit the current officers and membership of the boosters by pointing out how they have helped take the event to new heights.

“They take the reins on event day. These guys run with it these days. I am merely an administrator anymore,” he continued. He went on to thank the dozens of volunteers who help every year including the Shadyside Football Moms who work the concessions stands, athletic director John Triveri, as well as his family. Campbell’s family are also involved with the preparations. His wife Lanie helps out with getting shirts sorted, son Jeff does a lot of grunt work leading up to the event and is now the event’s photographer while daughter Ashley is now the event nurse.

The event, which started in 2010 is heading into its 14th year after taking 2020 off due to COVID protocols. During the 15-year run, the event has hosted more than 1,000 linemen, awarded more than 350 medals and plaques, and awarded nearly $7,000 in scholarships.

“That’s the one I’m proud of – the scholarships,” Campbell said. “Those are made possible by the sponsors, and we have some great sponsors. Even after the COVID year, while businesses were recovering, these businesses stepped up and continued to support us. I can’t even begin to express how thankful I am for all the support.”

Sponsors for the 2024 Big Cat Lineman Challenge are OH/WV Excavating, Ohio River Aggregate, Quality Environmental Services, Kinetic Networking, Melanko Construction, Epic Restoration, Dr. Robert Caldwell, DeFelice Bros. Pizza, Johnson Brothers Automotive, Belmont Savings & Loan, WesBanco Bank, and Pacifico Heating and Cooling.

The 2024 BCLC consists of 25 teams representing 14 schools from around the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference as well as surrounding areas. This year’s schools include host Shadyside, Buckeye Trail, Brooke, Williamstown, Parkersburg South, Union Local, Cameron, Toronto, Tyler Consolidated, New Lexington, Frontier, Vinton County and Buckeye Local. Last year’s team winner was the Union Local Jets and the individual top scorer award was Union Local senior Johnny Sabinski.

For more information on the Big Cat Lineman Challenge, please visit their website at bigcatlinemanchallenge.net or on Facebook at Shadyside Boosters Big Cat Lineman Challenge.