In 2025, we helped bring back the Lineman’s Challenge to Ohio high school football after a multi-year hiatus due to COVID. Partnering with the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association (OHSFCA) and the Ohio National Guard, we relaunched the event with the support it needed to succeed. OUTPUT Sports and FlipSled also joined as sponsors, providing equipment for the competition's various events.
Over 100 athletes competed in this year’s Lineman’s Challenge, which featured a few key changes—especially in the lifting events. Instead of traditional max reps or max weight, we used Velocity-Based Training (VBT) to prioritize safety and performance. Using the OUTPUT Sports VBT Barbell Sensor, this approach is ideal just before the season when avoiding weight room injuries is critical. Checkout the YouTube Video Here.
Each athlete performed 3 reps of 165 lbs on the bench press, with their average bar speed recorded. Those scores were then averaged across all five team members to create a team score. The same process was used for the back squat at 205 lbs. Every athlete completed the prescribed weights, making it competitive, safe, and inclusive for all participants.
The other two events rounded out the competition with a mix of challenge and fun—starting with the FlipSled Flip. In this event, each athlete flipped the sled twice, and the team’s score was the combined time of all five athletes. For most participants, this was their first time using the FlipSled, making it both a new experience and a true test of effort. Flipping the sled closely mimics the mechanics of delivering a block in football—engaging the hips, legs, and upper body in one powerful movement. It’s an especially relevant drill for linemen, who rely on explosive strength and leverage on every snap. Despite the learning curve, teams quickly embraced the challenge, and it ended up being one of the most engaging events of the day.
The final event was the Stray Dog Hike Sled Push. Each athlete pushed a sled loaded with a 45-pound plate for 20 yards, then a teammate returned it—each athlete completed two total pushes, alternating turns with teammates. The grass surface added extra resistance, making the event more demanding than expected. It pushed athletes to their limits—some even lost their lunch—but overall, it was a tough, gritty way to cap off the competition.
The event has a showcase media link you can find here which also has a YouTube Video!
We are looking for more schools outside of Ohio to host Lineman's Challenges for 2026, if you are interested reach out to us!