By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
July 30, 2002
It's hard to believe it's that time of the year again. The summer is winding down and that can only mean one thing it's time for high school football practices to start.
Yesterday was the first day of practice for the Mississippi Private School Association teams. The MHSAA teams will begin their practices next week.
Teams were met with wet fields and high humidity to start off the new year. The teams were able to practice in t-shirts and shorts and coaches started to put in offenses and get their teams ready.
According to Lamar head football coach Mac Barnes, this week is a good time to get everything put in.
Lewis and the Rebels had a very similar workout on Monday.
Summer is short for the players since games start so early in the year, but most were ready to work hard and get started.
Though yesterday was an exception, the main problem facing the players is the heat. The temperature gets very high during the day and the sun beating down doesn't give the players any relief. One of the best defenses against the heat is preparation.
Another way to protect the players is making sure they drink plenty of fluids and get frequent breaks.
Coach Barnes also encourages his players to drink plenty of fluids and feels preparation during the summer is important.
Another problem the soreness the players have during the first week. There are ways to decrease the soreness.
With one practice gone, it won't be long before the teams strap on the pads and get ready to really get going. The Rebels will go with shorts and shoulder pads on Thursday. The Raiders of Lamar will really start with pads next Monday.
The season is closing in for both teams. Lamar will play in a jamboree at Newton on Aug. 16 before opening at Wayne Academy the next Friday. Heidelberg will play its first game at Columbia Academy on Aug. 23. The two teams will face each other at Heidelberg the following week.