Summer conditioning programs and 10 days of coaching will conclude this weekend as the first official day of practice for OHSAA fall sports arrives next week. Football practice begins Monday, while all other fall sports may begin practice on Tuesday.
 
Schools are reminded of OHSAA heat regulations and the practice guidelines specific to football contact (please see below).
 
Please visit the specific sport pages at www.OHSAA.org for preseason manuals, news releases, regulations, bulletins, tournament information and state tournament coverage.
 
OHSAA Fall Sports – Date that Regular-Season Contests May Begin
     Cross Country – Aug. 21
        (OHSAA Preseason Invitational at National Trail is Aug. 19)
     Field Hockey – Aug. 19
     Football – Aug. 21 (first Friday is Aug. 25)
     Golf – Aug. 4
     Soccer – Aug. 18 (OHSAA Friday Night Futbol, see below)  
     Tennis (Girls) – Aug. 11
     Volleyball – Aug. 19
 
2017-18 OHSAA Ready Reference Calendar: http://www.ohsaa.org/Portals/0/Calendar/ReadyRefDates/ReadyReferenceHS.pdf
 
Football Season and Playoff Notes
     Football home: http://www.ohsaa.org/sports/football
     Playoff format announced: http://bit.ly/2v4s3WI
     Football regions: http://www.ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Football/Football-2017
     Associated Press Weekly Polls: begin September 11
     Associated Press Weekly Notebooks: begin September 13
     Weekly Computer Ratings: begin September 19
     Regular-Season Ends Saturday, Oct. 28. Final computer points and playoff qualifiers posted Sunday, Oct. 29
     Statewide Broadcast List: http://www.ohsaa.org/Portals/0/Sports/Football/OHSAAFootballRadioListing...
 
Football Notes and Practice Guidelines
Of the OHSAA’s 822 member high schools, 719 sponsor football teams. A total of 224 will qualify for the playoffs – 32 in each of seven divisions. The regular-season ends on Saturday, Oct. 28, with final computer ratings posted Sunday, Oct. 29.

Acclimatization Period: A five‐day acclimatization period is mandatory prior to any contact drills. Only helmets are permitted on the first and second days of practice. Shoulder pads may be added on days three and four. Full pads may be worn on the fifth day. Full contact is permitted on the sixth day.

Contact Regulations: The following regulations apply to individual student‐athletes. Position groups, etc., can alternate contact to adhere to the regulations listed below. Also, contact with soft equipment such as bags, shields, sleds, etc., does not count toward contact limitations.

Full Contact Limited During Two‐A‐Day Practices: When more than one practice takes place in a day, full contact is permitted only during one of the practices. With the importance of recovery time to help minimize concussion risks, consideration should also be given to the timing of full contact during the next day (i.e. if full contact occurs during session 2 of two‐a‐days, there should not be full contact in session 1 of two‐a‐days the following day).

Practice During the Season (after the first regular‐season game):
   1. Consider limiting full‐contact on consecutive days.
   2. A student‐athlete is limited to 30 minutes of full contact in practice per day.
   3. A student‐athlete is limited to 60 minutes of full contact in practice per week.
   4. A student‐athlete can be involved in full contact in a maximum of two practices in a seven‐day span.
 
OHSAA Friday Night Futbol
Once again this fall, the OHSAA is promoting a soccer initiative called “Friday Night Futbol.” High school football does not begin until the following week and the OHSAA encourages schools will make the “first Friday night” of the fall sports season and the 2017-18 school year a dedication to high school soccer. Halftime is permitted to be extended to 15 minutes so that high school bands can unveil their new halftime performances.

Additional information was sent to schools this past spring and more will be forthcoming – including a great partnership with the Columbus Crew SC that will provide incentives to schools participating. There is no charge and no application – just an effort to promote one of the continually growing sports in the state.