SPORTS
High School football teams wrap up acclimatization period
The first week of high school football practices wrap up this week and for the majority of the players, their acclimatization period.
This is a five-day period every high school football player must go through nowadays before they can strap on pads.
There is only so much you can do practicing football in shorts, shirt and helmet. Tackling with any type of force is frowned upon or prohibited due to injury risks.
Lineman don’t get to practice all the hand fighting and physical play their positions require. Skill position players don’t get used to throwing and catching the football with their shoulder pads, which is always an adjustment.
The acclimatization period was not always a thing, but as people have become more aware of the dangers of heat stroke during preseason practices in football at all levels, it is now here to stay and for the better.
The most famous example was in the NFL when offensive lineman Korey Stringer died in 2001 due to heat stroke. If a professional football player could die, what about the nearly million high school football players that start practicing in August.
The deaths were few, but consistent every year as some teenagers lost their lives. Even with coaches no longer able to keep water from their players since the belief it showed weakness was proven wrong, more was needed.
Two-a-days are a thing of the past for the most part at all levels of football. Coaches now try to avoid the hottest parts of the day for at least the first week of practice.
The five-day acclimatization period is here to stay and needs to be worked around when it comes to football practice.
For a new coaching staff like Nocona Coach Blake Crutsinger’s, it is a good excuse to take things slow as there is a lot to learn.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona got its new press box into place this week at Jack Crane Stadium. The old press box, which was in place for more than 60 years, was taken out in early June and moved to Indian Valley Raceway. The new press box was by the Southern Bleacher Company out of Graham. Athletic Director Black Crutsinger said they looked at a lot of press boxes and decided they liked the one at Lindsay High School and went with that model. Sean Hutson operated the crane from the Hurd Crane Service that put the press box up for Nocona.
Sunset native Cason Richey (right) and his team roping partner Beldon Cox from Weatherford repeated as the International Finals Youth Rodeo champions last weekend at Shawnee, OK. Richey and Cox won the previous year and were able to complete the repeat by catching three steers in a combined time of 16.6 seconds. Richey is expected to compete attend Texas Tech University this fall and compete on the rodeo team.
The Chisholm Trail Youth Rodeo had its awards ceremony this week, giving out plaques and buckles to the top competitors throughout the summer season.
There were four age categories with five events to compete in for the young athletes.
Along with the best results in each event, at the end the overall best cowboy and cowgirl in each age division was awarded as well.
The lead line division, in which an adult helps the young competitors, saw Rylee Stewart win the first in poles, barrel racing and mystery event on her way to win top cowgirl.
Hattie Snow got the fastest time in the flags event and Lany Shupak got the fastest goat time. Riggin Bishop got named the top cowboy in the division.
In the eight-and-under division, Whitley Goins won the top cowgirl and Trell Carpenter won top cowboy. Goins got the fastest times in barrel racing, flags and mystery event. Carpenter got the fastest time in poles and goats.
In the 9-12 age division, Sage Keck won the top cowgirl while Chisum Carpenter won the top cowboy. Keck got the fastest times in four of the five divisions. Only Layna Taylor getting the fastest goat time prevented her from winning in a clean sweep.
In the 13-18 age division, Tess Egenbacher won the top overall cowgirl award.
Kiley McCracken won both the barrel racing and flags event. Emma Strahan won the poles and mystery event. Hadlee Bryan won the goats event.
There was no top overall cowboy in the age division.
To see the times for the winners of each event in all four age categories along with pictures of all of the top cowboys and cowgirls, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
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