Football might be a fall sport, but MHSAA schools began preseason practice July 24 with 8½ weeks left in summer. The sun might be 93 million miles away, give or take a few yards, but with the Earth tilting in that direction it feels likes it's on the next block, especially this year with the United Nations telling us that July was the hottest month worldwide EVER.
Kosciusko and McAdams began practice with good numbers, about 86 for the Whippets and 22 for the Bulldogs.
“That's the biggest number that I have had since I have been at Kosciusko,” said coach Casey Orr. “For the size of the school that we are (4A), that's a pretty good number.”
Twenty-two might sound small by comparison, but McAdams is 1A and 22 is a welcome improvement over last year when the Bulldogs were down to 12 at one point. At least McAdams is able to scrimmage with full teams on both sides of the ball, and coach Roy Rigsby expects to add two or three more.
McAdams started practices late the first week, 6:15 or 6:30 p.m.. The thermometer still read in the 90s most days, but at least the sun wasn't beating down mercilessly.
“We give them water all the time,” Rigsby said. “We tell them to hydrate before they get here.”
Orr scheduled practice around teacher meetings, sometimes in the morning and sometimes late afternoon into the evening. “I didn't notice it being any difference from when we normally start football. It's just a hot time.”
The first week means no pads, helmets being the only football gear. That meant no physical contact.
“It's a fundamental week when you are trying to do basic things, the fundamentals of the game,” Orr said. “It gives you a chance to do basic things and it gives you a chance to work with some of your younger kids.”
Rigsby said it's a time for play recognition. “To make sure everybody knows the plays. It's a whole lot of teaching the first week.”
Players were able to don pads this week. “We're able to have a have a more simulated practice,” Rigsby said.
Kosciusko will have a scrimmage at home with New Hope August 18. The season begins a week later at Kemper County.
McAdams will scrimmage at Eupora August 18 and open the season at home against Sebastopol the 25th.
MHSAA mandates the use of wet bulb globe temperature readings to determine the safety of outdoor practices. Wet bulb globe temperature is a measure of the heat stress in direct sunlight, which takes into account temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover (solar radiation). This differs from the heat index, which takes into consideration temperature and humidity and is calculated for shady areas.
According to the MHSAA website there can be normal activities when the web bulb temperature is under 82, discretion is mandated for 82 to 86.9, there is a maximum of two hours practice for 87 to 89.9, one hour for 90 to 92 and no outdoor workouts above 92.
