Two-a-days kick off football practices

Practices heating up

To allow players to become accustomed to the heat and humidity, the OHSAA put in place the following rules:

Contact is not allowed for the first five practices.

No pads can be worn the first two days. Shorts, helmets and shoes are allowed.

Shoulder pads may be worn on the third and fourth practices.

Full equipment may be worn on the fifth practice.

August 8 and August 15, both Sundays, are mandatory off days.

Scrimmages may be held after a minimum of seven days of practice.

High school football coaches have seen their passing attacks — and their ability to stop them — on display at 7-on-7 camps.

They’ve installed significant pages of their offenses during the 10 OHSAA-approved coaching days during the past two months.

So what are they looking for today, Aug. 2, when high school football teams are unleashed for the start of two-a-day practices, which traditionally start the countdown clock toward the first Friday night kickoff?

The answers are as varied as those offenses.

“I really look to see if the tempo of the practice is where it needs to be,” Oakwood coach Paul Stone said. “Most kids are excited, even if they don’t love the doubles part of it. I look to see if the kids are excited about being there and the camaraderie.”

Over at Valley View, coach Jay Niswonger gives his team the week off prior to two-a-days. It serves as their final week of summer fun and one of their first tests of the season.

“I’ll be looking to see if somebody did a little extra work or really fell off the conditioning wagon,” Niswonger said. “We’ll be really watching the guys that struggle a little bit with the heat.”

As part of the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s rules for acclimatization for that heat and humidity, teams can wear only shorts, helmets and shoes today. Shoulder pads are added midweek and full equipment may be worn for the first time Friday.

There is no contact the first five practices.

It’s after those five days when coaches start to see what the’re really working with this season.

“Everybody looks good running around in helmets and shorts, but when you start putting the pads on you start seeing what kind of team you have,” said Brookville coach Mike Hetrick.