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Saturday, August 6, 2022 | 3:47 p.m.
High school football season is once again a hot topic.
Monday marks the start of Heat Acclimatization Week, a team requirement launched in 2013 by the PIAA, marking the start of the 2022 season.
Although teams cannot begin full-contact practices until next Monday when training camps open, this week will allow players to get to grips with the hot and humid weather of August and the training flow. .
Players will be limited to helmets and shoulder pads. They must have five consecutive days of heat preparation before contact drills begin.
Many coaches use “heat week” to set up plays and patterns, which they execute without hitting or tackling.
“The heat week allows us to do a lot of mental preparation and get in shape,” Penn-Trafford coach John Ruane said. “We attach great importance to special teams.”
Players are often involved in “stations” during heat week, where they rotate and work on different techniques and lesson plans, before a number of mandatory breaks.
After two weeks of official camp, the WPIAL season begins on August 26 with week zero matches.
T-shirt
The WPIAL golf season returns, only much earlier than in previous years.
Teams will begin tryouts and practices on Monday, with games starting on August 11.
Last year, training started on August 16 and games started on September 3.
WPIAL Golf Steering Committee Chairman Jim Croushore said the league moved the start forward due to the PIAA Championship schedule (October 17-19).
Avoiding a schedule cram was the main point of contention.
“The schedule gets very tight during the individual tournament season,” he said. “If a team has to complete section matches due to weather or scheduling conflicts, it can become difficult for coaches who also have players playing in the individual tournaments.”
Croushore said other districts, such as District 10, are also starting the season earlier than normal.
Most other WPIAL fall sports won’t start matches and games until August 26th.
Martin adds Tennessee
Another Power 5 scholarship offer arrived last week for Belle Vernon football player Quinton Martin when Tennessee offered the junior.
Martin is expected to play running back, receiver and safety this season, but he’ll likely line up in other spots as Belle Vernon moves up to Class 3A.
Martin, the No. 11 overall prospect in the Class of 2024 by Rivals.com, has 20 offers from major Division I programs.
Dominica at UPJ
Latrobe’s 6-foot basketball player Camille Dominick, a rising senior, has verbally committed to playing Pitt-Johnstown.
A versatile swing guard with a defensive presence, Dominick is getting a lot of recruiting attention while playing in the AAU for the Western PA Bruins.
She will be a key cog for Latrobe this winter alongside 6-2 center Emma Blair.
More interest in Bilinsky
Another local basketball player has another opportunity to play in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
Norwin’s rising elder Adam Bilinsky received an offer from Seton Hill
Bilinsky, a 6-foot-3 springy guard, also has opportunities to play at Mercyhurst and D’Youville (NY).
Volleyball Honors
There were 19 WPIAL players who competed for the Exile Volleyball Club at the AAU Boys National Volleyball Championships this summer in Orlando, Fla., and received AAU Academic All-American honors.
Among them is Latrobe’s Tyler Nelson, a 6-foot-2 middle tackle.
The others are: Ben Barker (Deer Lakes), Luke Bockius (Canon-McMillan), Oliver Enos (Moon), Dane Fazio (North Hills), Joey Gannon (Shaler), Josh Lubawy (Bethel Park), Zach Miller (Shaler) , Cam Miller (Shaler), Corey Obeldobel (Hopewell), Logan Peterson (Shaler), Gavin Poe (Seton LaSalle), Aidan Price (Seton LaSalle), Dunnovan Ronel (Shaler), Dom Rossi (Shaler), Adam Smith (Prune) , Jake Strnisa (South Side/Hopewell), Bradyn Winters (Moon) and Zach Wurzer (Shaler).
Bill Beckner Jr. is an editor of the Tribune-Review. You can contact Bill by email at bbeckner@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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