Football and Basketball have become year around sports. That just is the way it is. Basketball teams play all summer long to get ready for the winter. Football has weight lifting all year long, has spring practice, and camp for a week in the summer.

 

January threw July weight lifting

April 10 day spring practice

June 5 day football camp

July Start practice

September threw December football season

December season ends

Does your school participate in spring practice?

 

Does your school end the session with an inter-squad scrimmage?

 

What does your school do to make this period of practice exciting?

Yes

 

Not Sure

 

Playing both ways.

We always have 2-hand-touch games the last 30 minutes of practice. Of course, the linemen have their own games.

For Breathitt is just like a summer practice. They do not have an ending scrimmage.

I know that in Alabama and Florida, where Baseball starts earlier and is finished by the time Spring Football rolls around, High Schools participate in Spring practice that conclude with a spring game with another High School. I know some High Schools in Florida have a Spring Jamboree where 4 or 6 teams come together and play a half of football game, then have a Fall Jamboree to kick the season off. I would love for Kentucky to be able to do this.

^The benefits of nice weather year round. I have also heard this about spring football practice in Florida. It would be nice if KY could do this but due to weather here, I'm not sure it would be feasable.

I was surprised to see that some schools don't take advantage of Spring Practice.

Russell has one week where they have kids come in before school for simple practices in the gym. Basically designed more for kids interested in coming out or young players so they can learn the basics and get a feel for things. No equipment is given out so there is no hitting or scrimmage game. IMO, hitting in the spring is ridiculous and a great way to get a kid hurt and lost for the upcoming season. Tear an ACL in March and you won't be back until maybe midseason, usually not ready to go until the next year. With the Red Devils' level of success over the years, most folks would be surprised how little hitting and live practice Russell does. A two hour practice is a long one and we are ALWAYS off the practice field before 6 PM. After a couple of hours, coaches are getting mentally worn out, how is a kid supposed to concentrate and learn anything if the adults are ready to end it? Besides, not many high school games last longer than two hours of actual game time anyway.

High Schools participate in Spring practice that conclude with a spring game with another High School. I know some High Schools in Florida have a Spring Jamboree where 4 or 6 teams come together and play a half of football game

 

Florida also has a referee clinic which runs at the same time as the spring jamboree's and they basically have the games to give the referees experience. Nice though, spring practice, some spring games to watch, and training the referees. Sounds like a win win situation.

Ashland ends their spring practice schedule with an intersquad scrimmage. It's a lot of fun for everyone involved, and last season the winning team was rewarded with big, juicy steaks at the team picnic! The losing team ate hotdogs and burgers so they were not left hungry.

Another major problem with spring practice in Kentucky is that the wise KHSAA ties the participation window to the schools success (or lack of it). The window of 15 days begins the Monday following the date both basketball teams end their season. So schools that bow out of post-season this week will begin their window next Monday while schools whose teams advance to Sweet 16 will start their window much later. Hopefully, winter won't return in the next week or so.

Another major problem with spring practice in Kentucky is that the wise KHSAA ties the participation window to the schools success (or lack of it). The window of 15 days begins the Monday following the date both basketball teams end their season. So schools that bow out of post-season this week will begin their window next Monday while schools whose teams advance to Sweet 16 will start their window much later. Hopefully, winter won't return in the next week or so.

 

Valid point. A teams quality of weather depends on how well the girls and boys basketball teams do. I wish the KHSAA would just set a date such as the second week in April or the first week of May. That would give everyone an equal opportunity.

Russell has one week where they have kids come in before school for simple practices in the gym. Basically designed more for kids interested in coming out or young players so they can learn the basics and get a feel for things. No equipment is given out so there is no hitting or scrimmage game. IMO, hitting in the spring is ridiculous and a great way to get a kid hurt and lost for the upcoming season. Tear an ACL in March and you won't be back until maybe midseason, usually not ready to go until the next year. With the Red Devils' level of success over the years, most folks would be surprised how little hitting and live practice Russell does. A two hour practice is a long one and we are ALWAYS off the practice field before 6 PM. After a couple of hours, coaches are getting mentally worn out, how is a kid supposed to concentrate and learn anything if the adults are ready to end it? Besides, not many high school games last longer than two hours of actual game time anyway.

Thanks for sharing. Always good to hear how successful programs handle different situations.

Valid point. A teams quality of weather depends on how well the girls and boys basketball teams do. I wish the KHSAA would just set a date such as the second week in April or the first week of May. That would give everyone an equal opportunity.

What is unequal about it? Everybody gets three weeks to fit in the allowed practice time. So what if someone's window is a week earlier? Enlighten me.

So is Spring practice starting for anyone tomorrow?