Prep Sports

Spring ball not for all: Only 8 of 13 county schools go out of season

By Kevin Jeffers
Sports Writer

05-16-2008

Football isn't usually associated with spring. But with the biggest sport in the country comes added responsibility coaches feel to practice as early and as much as possible, within the rules.

The high school football programs in Calhoun County are no different.

Of the 13 football-playing schools in the county, all of them begin practicing before the start of the next school year, or even before the students' summer vacation begins.

But only eight of the county schools participate in spring scrimmages or jamborees.

Steve Smith, coach of the Piedmont Bulldogs, is one of the five coaches in the county who doesn't buy in to the spring game phenomenon.

"I've got several reasons," he said. "The first is that at a small school, you're always going to share athletes (with other sports) no matter what."

Piedmont usually has a successful track program, a sport that takes place mainly in the time for spring football practice. That's part of the reason Piedmont gets its spring practice out of the way in mid-February, as opposed to most schools that practice in May.

"There's just so many conflicts in May that we just (practice) in February and do without our basketball players," Smith said.

Paul Farlow, football coach at Weaver, is in the majority of Calhoun County coaches who see the benefits of playing a spring game.

"The big thing is it's fun for the kids," Farlow said. "It's one thing to go out there and practice and only hit each other every day. But to get out there and go against other schools adds another level of excitement for the players."

In its summer meetings for the 2007-08 school year, the Alabama High School Athletics Association reduced the number of spring practice days allowable from 15 to 10.

"Of course I'd like to have the extra five days of work," Farlow said. "It's kind of hard to get everything in. But I'd much rather get a game in."

Weaver plays its spring game May 22 at home against Alexandria.

"It gives you an idea of where you need to go and what you need to do over the summer," Farlow said.

One perk the Weaver coach did not mention was the economic advantages of charging admission for fans to watch football in the spring.

Most schools are charging $3 to $5 for their spring games. Ohatchee is charging $3 admittance just for its Red-White scrimmage, not even playing another school.

Such perks or no, Smith gave ample reason why the risks of spring games outweigh the rewards. Injuries play a big role in his and other coaches' decisions not to play in a jamboree.

"Now, (injuries) can happen any time," he said. "But it's a lot different when you have a guy break an ankle in February than if he breaks it May."

As for the reduction in spring practice days allowable by the state, it only plays right into Smith's plans.

"Actually, it helps us because now everybody else has to do what we've been doing all along," he said. "We were aiming for 10 days to begin with."

Spring ball events

Spring football, considered a boon by some coaches and a necessary evil by others, is coming to Calhoun County. Here's a look at what various schools have scheduled, not including today's Spring Jam Kickoff at Oxford, which is being billed as the biggest jamboree in the state.

Alexandria

• Jamboree: Thursday, May 22 at Weaver, 7 p.m.

Anniston

• Spring practice: Monday, May 5 — Thursday, May 15

• Jamboree: Saturday vs. Sylacauga, $5

Donoho

• Jamboree: Monday, May 19, 6:20 and 7 p.m. vs. Gaylesville and Skyline at Spring Garden, $5

Jacksonville

• Spring practice: Monday, May 5 — Friday, May 16

• Jamboree: Friday, May 16 vs. Childersburg, 6 p.m., $5

Jacksonville Christian

• Spring practice: Tuesday, April 29; Thursday, May 1; Tuesday May 6