It’s that time of the year again ladies and gentleman. Three out of four local high school football teams (Santa Gertrudis Academy, Bishop and Riviera- Kaufer) kick off their summer practices this coming Monday (Aug. 2) - with H.M. King starting Aug. 4 - as a new season of pigskin is given birth.

It’s time to find out which players wisely used their summer to stay in shape and will have little, if any, problem quickly getting acclimated to summer workouts, and which little football piggies are going to show us either their breakfast or lunch while realizing they should have done a little more exercise.

I forecast every coach enthusiastically clapping their hands at certain players’ conditioning, and turning their heads in disgust at those who won’t be able to keep their food down or whose speed will mirror a certain local out of shape sports writer.

And how things have changed since the start of last season. Three out of four head coaches are newbies with only Wally Moon (Santa Gertrudis Academy High School) back from last year.

Carrying the big whistle for the first time at their respective campuses are Perry Graves (Riviera-Kaufer), George Luna (Bishop) and Robert Wilcox (H.M. King).

This will require plenty of patience from all of you football fans. Last spring saw several seasoned football players graduate which means there is lots of new blood suiting up for their varsity teams this fall.

Another thing to keep in mind is where each team will play this season. The Seahawks and Badgers saw their beloved District 32-2A dissolved and both teams went their separate ways and became members of different conferences. The Lions, at the same time, no longer reside in District 32-A.

Bishop - this season - will throw down with Falfurrias, Odem, San Diego, Santa Rosa and Taft in District 16-2A Division I. Riviera- Kaufer will tussle with Banquete, Freer, Hebbronville, Premont, Refugio, Skidmore- Tynan and Santa Gertrudis Kingsville Academy in District 16- 2A Division II.

H.M. King (meanwhile) will still reside in District 31- 4A with regulars Alice, Calallen, Flour Bluff and Tuloso-Midway; and newcomers Corpus Christi Ray, C.C. Miller and C.C. Moody. Gone from 31-4A are Laredo schools LBJ, Nixon and Cigarroa who were sent back to 29-5A during a statewide realignment by the University Interscholastic League in February.

Where does this put every local team? Who knows…they will have to answer that question for themselves.