With a renewed focus on conditioning and player safety, the MIAA’s new preseason practice regulations went into effect as area football teams assembled for the first time on Friday.
Teams in Hampshire County are looking at less contact in preseason and more practices to work on conditioning, especially early on. With the new regulations, area teams get two additional practices.
The MIAA Board of Directors approved the changes in December.
“The general idea is the gradual acclimation to temperatures, equipment and contact,” Nathan Bonneau, a spokesperson for the MIAA, said.
Northampton welcomed the extra days of conditioning. The Blue Devils’ numbers are lower this season.
“It’s basically adding conditioning practices where contact practices used to be,” Northampton coach Pat Sledzieski said. “We have never started this early but I think it’s great that we get extra work. We have a smaller team. We have to be in the best possible condition.”
The season usually started on Monday, but under the new regulations teams opened on Friday and will practice on Saturday.
Friday’s practice for the Blue Devils consisted of running, throwing and catching. Completely absent was blocking or tackling.
Teams are required not to have any contact in the first three practices, followed by two with limited contact between players. On the sixth day of practice, teams can go full pads and full practice, but for no more than an hour.
After three days of full contact and eight total days of practice, scrimmages are permitted.
For Easthampton, making the necessary adjustments to comply with MIAA policies is simply part of football in western Massachusetts.
“Those kinds of things change all the time,” Easthampton coach Matt Bean said. “But it’s great for the safety of the kids and everyone is in the same boat.”
Easing into the season will also help players potentially avoid the nagging injuries suffered when joints and muscles aren’t properly prepared for the season.
“We don’t have big numbers so why risk the injuries early?” Sledzieski said. “I think it’s good to take the contact out of the early part of the season. It’s good to have more time to prepare.”
The Blue Devils have three scrimmages lined up for the preseason when they are eligible after the eighth day of practice. They will scrimmage Amherst Regional, Agawam and Hoosac Valley.
With limited contact in practice, the scrimmages will provide Northampton with solid tests headed into the season.
“If we can play with them we can play with anybody,” Sledzieski said.
