PREP FOOTBALL STARTING FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE

A sure sign it's back-to-school time begins when area high school football teams take to the field for their first day of practice.

Today marks the first official day Missouri high school football teams can begin practice for the upcoming season. Several area squads will be taking advantage of that time with two-a-day practices starting early this morning. The teams will then break off and come back for an evening session.

For the first three days, teams are not allowed to practice in full pads. But coaches get plenty accomplished in the time leading up to the first full-contact practice, going over fundamentals and getting their players back into shape after the summer break.

A look at how area schools will open practice:

Cape Central

Fundamentals and conditioning will be the main focus for the Tigers during the first three days in only half pads.

Central will have a morning session from 8:30 to 10 a.m., and then come back for an evening session from 5:30 to 8 p.m. This schedule will likely continue through next week.

"For the kids that have worked all summer, they won't have any problems," said fifth-year head coach Jerry Dement. "It's the ones that haven't done a whole lot that suffer.

"We've got a lot of kids that put in time over the summer and should be used to the weather."

Dement and his staff will also use the first few days as an evaluation period while going over the main offensive and defensive packages.

"We'll be evaluating and putting kids in the right spots," Dement said. "But we got a lot of that stuff done during camp (held the last week in July)."

The Tigers, coming off a 6-4 season in 1996, will start practice with nearly 60 players.

"We had 58 for camp and we usually pick up a few for practice," said Dement. "We have some key players back, good leadership and I'm anxious to kick the season off."

Central's first inter-squad scrimmage is scheduled for Aug. 22 at Houck Field. The Tigers will also take part in the first Jamboree scrimmage hosted by Sikeston Aug. 29. The other teams in the four-team scrimmage are Jackson and St. Vincent.

Jackson

Indians' head coach Carl Gross, coming off an 8-2 playoff season in the schools first year in Class 5A, enters the 1997 season with a bit of a problem as practice starts today.

"We have a few more kids than lockers right now, but that's a pleasant dilemma," Gross said. "We're glad we have the interest we have in our program right now."

Jackson had 65 players (grades 10-12) participate in the school's two week summer camp. But Gross said there are only 57 lockers available in the locker room.

"This is the largest number we've had coming into a season since I've been head coach," said Gross, entering his ninth season at the helm.

The Indians will have only three days of two-a-day practices, with the Jackson school system opening classes Monday. Jackson will open the practice day with a two-hour session starting at 9 a.m., and then come back from 5 to 7:30 p.m., for a final practice.

Mornings will be used to work on the Indians special teams and kicking game exclusively. The evening sessions will cover the offense and defense. Conditioning won't be a major area of concern because Gross expects his players to enter practice in good shape.

"Our kids are real good about working in the offseason," Gross said. "They come in in good physical condition, so we don't have to spend time improving their conditioning; we get to spend time teaching and learning."

Scott City

Third-year Scott City head coach Terry Flannigan can hardly wait for the Rams first full-contact workout.

In fact, after the required three-day's of half pads is over Friday, Flannigan will have his team out early Saturday morning for their first full-contact practice.

"The first three days we'll cover base fundamentals, getting ready for that first day of contact," Flannigan said.

This week's two-a-day schedule has the Rams practicing from 8 to 10:30 a.m., and then coming back from 4 to 6 p.m. With Scott City schools opening next Wednesday, the Rams will switch to one practice a day starting Monday.

Coming off a 4-6 season in 1996, the Rams have around 45 players coming out for the team this year.

Chaffee

Second-year head coach Brian Horrell will open the season at Chaffee with a few less players on the roster than during last year's 0-9 campaign.

"We'll have around 30 (players) out this year," Horrell said. "We finished with 37 last year."

Despite the low numbers, the Red Devils hope to build off a strong two-week team camp held earlier in the summer.

"We'll do a lot of fundamental drill work, run a lot of plays and review from our camps," said Horrell of his plans for the first three days of practice. "We got a lot done during camp."

The Red Devils will practice the first three days from 8 to 9:30 a.m., and then come back for a second session from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Chaffee will conduct their first full-contact practice Saturday morning.