'Battle of the Big Butts' showcases football linemen at West Aurora High School

AURORA, Ill. - The "Battle of the Big Butts," an annual event at West Aurora High School, showcases the skills of hundreds of football linemen from numerous high schools.

The competition, which began in 1999, was created by St. Charles Assistant Coach Mike Powers to give local linemen a summer contest that emphasizes fun as well as skill development.

The event includes six challenges designed to test the strength and agility of the participants. Competitions such as the medicine ball toss, tire flip, and a 40-yard dash are among the highlights.

"All the coaches are interested in seeing their kids compete," said event coordinator Mike Runge. "They'll bench press and [do] 40 times and driving the sled. They want to see if their technique is good. That's the real football part of it. We all want our groups of five to bond and have fun. You'll see that maybe cheer for the watermelon a little later when the kids are all cheering each other on from all different schools. We definitely want to see some team building. And we want to have fun."

One of the most entertaining parts of the event is the watermelon-eating contest, where each player gets a quarter of a watermelon and 60 seconds on the clock, judged on completion and speed.

The linemen competing on Thursday said the event is about having fun but also serves as a good barometer for their progress and areas that need improvement.