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Christian Hoosier repeats as Williamstown’s Iron Man champion

By Kerry Patrick 4 min read

WILLIAMSTOWN -- Christian Hoosier has become a football specimen with the most impact that Williamstown's Chris Beck has ever coached in his 19 years as an assistant and head coach with the program.

Thursday night during the annual Ted Watson Memorial Iron Man Championship held for the first time on a turf surface at Williamstown High School, Hoosier fulfilled Beck's high praise by winning the individual title for the second year in a row -- joining his older brother Trevor, who won back-to-back Iron Mans as a member of the Yellowjackets in 2015 and 2016.

Juniors Colin Jones and Breck Allen, who were part of a five-player winning team selected by Beck in the coaches' draft, followed in second and third place, respectively.

Williamstown assistant coach Chris Schmitt used his first overall pick on Hoosier.

"Getting picked first overall proves to me these coaches believe in me and what I can do out there - especially in the Iron Man," Hoosier said. "And it proves they believe in my mentality, especially when it comes on and off the field - especially with an event like the Iron Man.

"After a night like this, my body is not happy. But I prepared the best I could. You know, I don't like any of the stations. It's not fun out there, but I would definitely say I gave it my all."

The contest, which began in 2000, consisted of six teams with five Yellowjacket football players per team rotating through six stations.

Hoosier set an event record in the bench press with 82 reps in the span of two minutes. The senior two-way lineman placed first in both the bench press and tire flip, and tied for third in the clean and press.

"Christian is a physical freak," Coach Beck said. "Physically, he is probably the most gifted guy I've coached in the 19 years as an assistant and head coach at Williamstown. He has all the tools. He can bench over 400 pounds, squat over 600 and runs a 4.7, 40-yard dash.

"I'm really proud of the steps he has taken this offseason. He has matured both on and off the field. With his leadership, he is doing a better job with that."

Mental toughness seemed to be the overwhelming theme in the process used by coach Beck for his five selections. Jones, Allen, Landon Ritchie, Mason Kern and Lincoln Knapp all finished among the top 10 in the individual leaderboard.

"When drafting a team, you are looking for physical strength and mental strength," Beck said. "I've always been proud of this event. How it challenged our guys physically and mentality because there is going to come a point you break, and you don't think you can do anymore.

"Those guys who won, if you look around they are not the guys laying on the ground - they are the ones standing. They have energy."

Even as early as the halfway mark, as many as a dozen guys were feeling the effects of the physical and mental demands of the event. Throughout the field, the scene had the appearance of a MASH unit with individuals on the ground suffering from cramps, thirst and any other effects associated with being stranded in a desert.

Yet when all was said and done, only one of the 30 football players who participated did not complete the six stations.

Individual winners for each station included Jones in the dumbbell carry and sled push, JP Strobl in the sled pull and Tyrell Miller in the clean and press.

"I'll probably get ahold of my brother and tell him I got it done," Hoosier said. "I was very little when he played, but I remember seeing it vividly and thinking this is tough. This is very tough.

"Guys today were leaving nothing in the tank. It shows to me, the coaches and everyone else on the team they are willing to put it down. It shows you want to be here and want to play Williamstown football."

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