High school sports ready to welcome in new year

By Jeremy D. Malamed

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Posted: Friday, August 15, 2008 10:32 AM CDT

The start of the 2008-09 high school sports year is just days away.

Monday marks the end of the Sac-Joaquin Section “dead period” for all fall sports, giving teams the green light to start preparations for the upcoming season.

This fall, Bret Harte and Calaveras high schools will field teams in girls golf, boys soccer, girls volleyball, cross country and football.

The “dead period,” which began July 25 and prohibits all team-related activities outside of weight training and conditioning, officially ends Monday morning at midnight.

In the past 10 years under coach Roger Canepa, the Calaveras football team made a tradition of holding its first practice of the season right when the “dead period” elapsed at the stroke of midnight.

This year, with Canepa ready to start his first season at Central Catholic in Modesto and long-time assistant Jason Weatherby now in charge at Calaveras, the Redskins will keep the tradition of an early start, just not that early.

Instead of a midnight practice, Calaveras will hold its first practice of the season at 6 a.m. Monday, followed by a team breakfast.

“I believe in the value of creating a special bond in the players and celebrating the beginning of the season,” Weatherby said. “Practicing in the morning will hopefully help the players get a good night sleep. There is something good about waking up early and working out. It energizes you for the day.”

Meanwhile in Angels Camp, Bret Harte will hold its first football practice at 3 p.m. Monday.

Fall sports teams are allowed to scrimmage other schools for the first time on Aug. 23 and can start playing official contests on Aug. 28, when the Bret Harte and Calaveras boys soccer, girls golf and girls volleyball teams will all be in action.

Football season opens on Friday, Sept. 12, with Bret Harte playing at Livingston and Calaveras traveling to Stockton to take on Weston Ranch.

And in case you’re wondering, the midnight practice lives on with Canepa, who will introduce the tradition at Central Catholic Monday.

“I thought about not doing it, but then I was worried I might jinx myself,” Canepa said.

Contact Jeremy D. Malamed at sports@calaverasenterprise.com

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