Official start date of football practice moved to Monday, July 31; new divisional alignments to include competitive balance roster data in football, volleyball and soccer
The Ohio High School Athletic Association has announced an adjustment to the 2017 football season calendar, which moves the official start date for practice one day earlier, back to Monday, July 31. The original practice start date had been established as Tuesday, August 1, which matched the start date for all other OHSAA fall sports.
In addition, the OHSAA Board of Directors meets this Thursday for its regularly scheduled April meeting and will be presented with the new divisional breakdowns for all fall sports. For the first time, competitive balance roster data will be added to the base enrollment numbers in the fall sports of football, volleyball and soccer. Pending board approval, divisional breakdowns for all fall sports will be posted at OHSAA.org Thursday, including the school-by-school divisional assignment in the three fall sports affected by competitive balance.
In May 2014, OHSAA member schools voted in favor of the Competitive Balance Proposal, which affects baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball and volleyball by examining sport-specific roster data (grades 9-12) submitted by each school and could increase a school’s enrollment count. More information is posted at: http://www.ohsaa.org/School-Resources/Competitive-Balance-Resource-Center
Winter sports divisional breakdowns will be presented to the board at its June meeting, while spring sports will be presented in August.
Football Practice Begins Monday, July 31
The change in the start date for football practice was approved so that schools can have the traditional amount of practice time before their first scrimmage the following week, which is usually a teaching scrimmage mid-week, followed by a live scrimmage that Friday or Saturday. An OHSAA Jamboree Game, which is a third scrimmage played under game conditions, is then permitted the following week.
“Football is the only sport that requires a five-day acclimatization period before full-go contact is permitted, so allowing for an additional day of practice will really help our coaches teach more fundamentals before their first scrimmage,” Beau Rugg, OHSAA Assistant Commissioner and football administrator, said. “And with the reduction in full-go contact during practice that went into effect a couple years ago, every minute on the practice field is important. Most of our schools want three scrimmages, and giving them this extra day of practice will help make that a reality.”
In 2018, football practice will begin Monday, July 30.
2017 OHSAA Football Calendar
· April 6 – New divisional breakdowns presented to OHSAA Board of Directors (posted at OHSAA.org)
· May 15 – Deadline for schools to have varsity schedules posted in Arbiter
· June 6 – Regional assignments and playoff format announced (date assignments for each division)
· June 1 through July 30 – Summer period regulations in effect (10 days of full team coaching permitted – no pads)
· July 31 – Official start date for practice (five-day acclimatization period begins)
· August 5 – Full-contact practices may begin, per OHSAA full-contact regulations
· August 6 – Mandatory Day Off
· August 8-19 – Scrimmages permitted (third scrimmage permitted if conducting OHSAA Jamboree Game)
· August 21 – Season Officially Begins (August 25 is the first Friday)
· September 19 – First weekly computer ratings released (every Tuesday afternoon for remainder of season)
· November 4 – Regular-season ends
· November 5 – Final computer ratings, playoff qualifiers and regional playoff brackets released
· November 3-4 – Regional Quarterfinals
· November 10-11 – Regional Semifinals
· November 17-18 – Regional Finals
· November 24-25 – State Semifinals
· November 30-December 3 – State Championship Weekend in Canton (all games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium)
2017-18 and 2018-19 Base Enrollment Figures and Process Explanation:
http://www.ohsaa.org/school-resources/school-enrollment
Upcoming Dates for Divisional Breakdowns and Competitive Balance Roster Data Implementation:
http://www.ohsaa.org/School-Resources/MondayMinute
