FOTOBALL: the glory days of preps

We normally start the prep football season off at the paper with coverage of the first day of football practice and then a few days later the first day with pads. I'm not going to sugarcoat it, shooting high school football practice pretty much sucks. It is the hottest part of the summer and in Georgia that means it's so humid that you're dripping in seconds and feel like you are inside of an oven trying to breath. Also, add about 25 lbs. of gear to that scenario. Needless to say, I couldn't hack it as a football player. In addition to battling the heat, getting IDs for the kids on the field is a ridiculous challenge. Their numbers rarely match rosters if they are even wearing a number. Luckily, besides those two days of the year we don't shoot much high school practice. That is, until this year. Yesterday I shot my first of what will be anywhere between 6-10 practices in the next two weeks for our upcoming high school football preview. It is a change from what we've traditionally done, but I am after all just a monkey with a camera.

Here are a few preps practice photos from the last two years, an era I will now refer to as "the glory days of preps."




Clarke Central High School football players wait for the command to start running which will kickoff the first practice of the season Wednesday Aug. 1, 2008.


Clarke Central High School Senior quarterback Marquez Coleman stretches before the first football practice of the year Wednesday August 1.


Cedar Shoal's Ashan Theodore goes head to head with another player at practice Wednesday Aug. 1, 2007.


Cedar Shoals Coach Brant Spratlin has two defense players, Travis Evans, left, face-off during practice Wednesday.


North Oconee sophomore Victor Pallotta reaches for the ball at practice Monday Aug. 6, 2008.


North Oconee High School junior football player Jordan Crowe, right, drenches his head in water during a break at practice Monday.


North Oconee High School sophomore football player Jameco Edwards gets out of the sun by taking a break in a shed next to the practice field Monday Aug. 6, 2007.


North Oconee High School football players Joe Michel, left, and Kevin Burris practice tackling at practice Monday.


Oconee County High School sophomore Donovan Thomas runs drills at the command of Coach Tom Gooch, left, Monday Aug. 6, 2007.


Cedar Shoals' Gwendale Harris makes a catch during the Jaguars' practice Wednesday Aug. 6, 2008, at Cedar Shoal High School.


Cedar Shoals' DeDe Lattimore, center, laughs with teammates during the Jaguars' practice Wednesday Aug. 6, 2008, at Cedar Shoals High School.



Cedar Shoals' Kerry Barnett runs the ball after catching a pass during the Jaguars' practice Wednesday Aug. 6, 2008,at Cedar Shoals High School.


Several Cedar Shoals Jaguars stand around before practice on the first day of practice with full pads Wednesday Aug. 6, 2008, at Cedar Shoals High School.