Long before many local prep football players had hit their snooze buttons this morning, the Jesuit Tigers had convened on the sleek, synthetic turf of their stadium to formally kick off the 2009 season.
Today is the first official day of football practice for the state's high schools, and the Tigers -- per their custom -- began it by beating the sun to the field. At 5:20 a.m., players and coaches began arriving at the school's parking lot. By 6 a.m., the team was on the field doing calisthenics.
Precisely four people -- presumably parents -- and the Friday Night Rewind crew were watching. (Check out video, which we'll update throughout the day here.)
"This is kind of a tradition here," Tigers coach Joe Ross said during a water break. "And Jesuit is all about tradition."
Teams may not begin practicing in pads until Thursday. The first full slate of preseason games is set for Aug. 28.
JOEY KNIGHT
The St. Petersburg Times High School Sports blog is written and compiled by the Times preps sports staff from Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties. We invite your participation in the comments area.
Recent Comments