It's Time for Football, Y'all!

Last week, dozens of elementary and middle school kids attended Parkview High's instructional football camp.

Today begins the opportunity for Parkview's varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams, as well as squads from Lilburn's other high schools, Berkmar and Providence Christian. Perhaps more highly awaited than next Monday's start of school might be today's start of Georgia High School Association-allowed football practice.

"Obviously, football is king in the South," said Berkmar athletics director Dan Knudsen. "At most schools, football is one of the most important programs, if not the most important. It not only brings in the most money, but it galvanizes students, alumni, teachers and the entire community."

Berkmar is wasting little time, with players scheduled to report today at 4:45 a.m., then be on the field in shorts, helmets and shoulder pads by 5:30.

"We're going to get right after it," Patriots second-year coach Jonathan Sanks said. "We're hitting the ground running."

Of concern are still seven weeks of scorching summer, with temperatures in the 90s and humidity above 50 percent forecasted this week. Combined with potentially little wind, the Georgia High School Association acknowledges that can be dangerous for players in initial weeks of pads and conditioning. As precautions, teams must plan frequent water breaks and rest, as well as to revert indoors should temperatures get too high.

The GHSA requires schools have written policies governing practice during high heat and humidity, and it prohibits outdoor practice when heat indexes are excessive. The association also allows practice in pads only three days this first week, and on only two days consecutively. Otherwise, practice may be in only shorts, helmets and shoulder pads.

"We tell our coaches safety is priority one," Knudsen said. "Our coaches are very good about listening to our trainer, and she is very militant that we don't put our kids in position where they can be injured due to the heat."

Practices beginning today differ from those allowed in pads for two weeks in May. Things become entirely more serious as Berkmar prepares for its Aug. 12 scrimmage at Collins Hill and Parkview for its at West Forsyth on Aug. 19, before the regular season begins Aug. 26.

"[May] was basically all instructional time, just getting an assessment of who'll stick their nose in there and not be afraid to play the game," Sanks said. "[Throughout summer], we've been conditioning and weight training, and now is time to put in the plays to prepare us for the season."

Providence, an inaugural junior varsity team, has yet to be in pads. The Stars practiced only in helmets and shoulder pads in May and don't plan to wear full gear until Wednesday's 4:30 p.m. workout. Coach Ken Robinson knows, however, there's little time before facing a still uncertain scrimmage opponent and the Aug. 25 start of Providence's seven-game season at Loganville Christian.

"Being in pads will give us that physical aspect we couldn't get [previously]," Robinson said. "It's important to get our kids in game situations before it really counts."

Things already are approaching a high pitch at Parkview, a school that won state championships in 1997, 2000, '01 and '02. Panthers athletics director Mark Whitley said more than 200 players attended workouts this summer, and talent should be plentiful when practice begins today at 6:30 a.m.