AURORA — It’s here, the beginning of the 90th high school sports season on record.
Times may have changed, but the universal assumption is that student-athletes in the 2010-11 scholastic sports season really aren’t that much different from those who competed during the Roaring ’20s.
They can’t wait to get started.
“The students in 1921 had the same feelings of anticipation, trepidation and enthusiasm in starting something new that the students have today,” first-year Colorado High School Activities Association commissioner Paul Angelico said. “The first day of practice cannot be equaled in a student’s life.”
First up in Colorado, as usual, are boys golfers, who begin practice today, then open the school year’s competition Thursday. They are the first of 21 sanctioned sports, nine during the fall season.
Football, tops in popularity and participation, boys and girls cross country, field hockey, gymnastics, boys soccer, softball, boys tennis and volleyball will open in unison a week from today.
Early starts for matches and games are due for boys tennis (Aug. 19) and softball (Aug. 20), with all others having preseason drills until Sept. 2, save for assorted Zero Week games in football (for teams unable to schedule play in the allotted 10-week regular season), slated for Aug. 27-28.
Fall state championships will run from boys golf on Oct. 5 to the final four classifications of football on Dec. 4, including title games for upper classes at Invesco Field at Mile High.
Down the road, winter sports will open Nov. 12, and spring, the school year’s final offering, on Feb. 28. The final events, the top three classes of baseball, are scheduled to end May 28.
Fall sports
Boys golf: Preseason practice begins today; matches begin Thursday; state championships Oct. 4-5.
Boys tennis: Preseason practice begins Aug. 16; matches begin Aug. 19; state championships Oct. 14-15.
Softball: Preseason practice begins Aug. 16; games begin Aug. 20; state championships Oct. 22-23.
Boys and girls cross country: Preseason practice begins Aug. 16; meets begin Sept. 2; state championships Oct. 30.
Field hockey: Preseason practice begins Aug. 16; games begin Sept. 2; state championship Nov. 1.
Football: Preseason practice begins Aug. 16; games begin Aug. 27; state championships Nov. 20-Dec. 4.
Gymnastics: Preseason practice begins Aug. 16; meets begin Sept. 2; state championships Nov. 5-6.
Boys soccer: Preseason practice begins Aug. 16; matches begin Sept. 2; state championships Nov. 9-10.
Volleyball: Preseason practice begins Aug. 16; matches begin Sept. 2; state championships Nov. 12-13.
