Aug. 25, 2007

PHOTO GALLERY 

LOGAN, Utah - With "pull hard" as the common theme echoed throughout the group, a team of Utah State offensive linemen successfully defended their State Truck Pull Championships title, an event that benefits the Special Olympics here in Logan.

The competition, consisting of pulling a 40,000-pound truck 20 feet in a timed event, was held on a closed-off street between the Cache Valley Mall and Home Depot.

In the 10-member competition, the USU football players had a time of 6.7 seconds and a 5.3 time in the 14-member event. All the offensive linemen were at the event.

"We had a lot of fun, we got to see a lot of people, participate in a service project, and we broke our record so I'm pleased about that. Hopefully that means we're stronger," a smiling USU head coach Brent Guy said, in reference to the group beating last year's winning time of 6.6. "The main thing was to have fun and be out with the community. It's important to get some awareness about Special Olympics, because that is really what this is about. It's not about Utah State football, it's about Special Olympics and what they do. They provide an important service to the community."

"Special Olympics is one of the most special community service projects we can do, besides working with the kids in the schools," Guy said. "We have a lot of student-athletes with a lot of God-given talent and I think it helps them realize that although they're very tired from practice, and sometimes question "why I'm out here doing this hard work,' and you come down and you see the Special Olympic athletes and know how fortunate you are to be born with a healthy body. So it's always good for my guys to see that and participate with them.

During the competition, the USU football players mingled through the crowd, visiting and high-fiving the Special Olympics athletes.

"We like being around this group, they're fun athletes to be around and be associated with," Guy said. "Many of them come to our games and some call into the radio show. They're friends of ours and we want to be a part of making this a good event. We want to make this a bigger and better event each year. "

The Special Olympic athletes took their turn at pulling the truck and got some assistance from the USU football players, who were behind the truck pushing while the Special Olympic athletes pulled it forward.

"The players always like taking pictures with the kids and just being around them," Guy said. "It's really for the Special Olympic athletes, to support them and show that we care about them and we just want to help any way we can."

For more information, visit www.sout.org.

-USU-