Greene County football started its final week of summer practice on Monday.
The Tigers were dressed in shells - shorts, shoulder pads, and helmets - as a part of the GHSA’s “acclimation week” before the start of fall camp, which begins next week.
“They want teams to wear helmets for five consecutive days before they put on pads,” GCHS head coach Terrance Banks said. “It’s to ensure the kids can adjust to the heat.”
Greene County has been practicing hard - in both the weight room and on the field - since the end of the last school year. The Tigers have also been participating in 7-on-7 scrimmages and padded camps over the course of the last two months in the heat.
“I don’t know if it is as big of a deal as it used to be,” Banks said. “Only because we allow these kids to put on equipment in the summer for (7-on-7) and padded camps. That’s what the purpose of acclimation week is. It’s to make sure that kids can deal with the added-on heat of having on a helmet before putting on pads.” According to the first
According to the first-year GCHS head coach, acclimation week is a “great time” for finalizing things before the start of fall camp. He added that this time of the year comes up “quickly.”
“We spend a lot of time going over the basics and installs,” Banks said. “We are making sure that the things that you see 10 percent of the year, plus special teams, are ready.”
For example, on the offensive side of the ball, Greene County will work on its goal-line formation and two-minute drill. The Tigers will also make sure the special teams’ installation will be done by the end of this week. Defensively, they will work on goal line formations, plus their different various blitz calls and packages.
“Those are the things that we’ll take care of this week so that we can get ready for the season,” Banks said. “Those are [also] the principles we’ll worry about over the next few days.”
Banks was hired last December following the season. He replaces longtime GCHS head coach Larry Milligan, who stepped away from his position last November. Banks started teaching in January and hired most of his staff before the start of spring camp.
The coaching staff then got a chance to get acclimated with themselves while also getting to know the players in May before the beginning of summer workouts. Now, the Tigers’ program heads into fall camp with a sense of familiarity.
“We have a new set of coaches and a whole new offensive and defensive system. There’s also new terminology, plus it will be a chance to get to know each other better,” Banks said. “The biggest thing that we will look forward to in the [upcoming] season is growth [as a program] and learning more about each other.”
The Tigers got to know each other well last week after they spent three days and two nights together at the school. Due to COVID concerns, Greene County players were not able to scrimmage a couple of schools from the surrounding areas.
Banks acknowledged how important it was to get his players together for an extended amount of time before acclimation week, regardless of if the camp went as scheduled or not.
“It was somewhat of a bummer [not being able to host the padded camp], but it gave us a chance to talk about the message of ‘how do you face adversity,’” Banks said. “The kids have responded great, and they’re in great spirits.”
The final day of the team camp consisted of thorough walk-throughs and fun drills that helped raise players’ spirits. The offensive and defensive linemen even got a chance to show fellow teammates and coaches their athleticism at the end of the last day. Banks had them line up across from each other to scrimmage 7-on-7.
Overall, Banks believes the Tigers can be a force to be reckoned with once again.
“I’m very excited and do believe we can be a very good football team,” Banks said. “I do wonder, as a head coach, what happens when you finally get hit in the mouth, but I love how our guys are practicing right now.”