Local football teams start official practices today

The Georgia High School Association permitted an opening day of preseason conditioning Saturday, but for most schools in Georgia Monday is the first official practice date of the 2015 season.

The five day mandatory preseason conditioning period (today through Friday, July 31) includes workouts in helmets, shoulder pads, and shorts.

Saturday, August 1 will be the first day teams are allowed to practice in full pads.

Since this is a time of year common to high heat and humidity, temperature monitoring and restrictions are required by the GHSA. Wet Bulb Globe Temperature readings are required every hour, beginning 30 minutes before the beginning of practices.

Most programs will utilize the mandatory conditioning week to install schemes and go over fundamentals. They will also spend time on special teams installments, alignments, and coverages.

Bartow Sports Zone continues to help you prepare for the 2015 high school season with our weekly coaches show on AM1270 WYXC each Friday morning from 7am to 8am.

Guests scheduled for Friday, July 31 are Tony Lott (Woodland head coach) and Joey King (Cartersville head coach).

Bartow Sports Zone and AM1270 WYXC have also partnered in 2015 to broadcast 13 local high school games live.

The broadcast schedule opens Friday, August 21 with Adairsville at Ridgeland. The following week, the broadcast schedule includes Woodland at Adairsville (Thur., Aug. 27) and Cartersville at Cass (Fri., Aug. 28).