Football: Summer workouts begin, or maybe not

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This coming weekend, another summer passing tournament will take place on Saturday at Pierce College, and the tournaments and competitions will pick up momentum.

Schools are about to begin holding weekly passing competitions as they rush to get into shape and prepare for the earliest start ever in the regular season. On Aug. 18, Encino Crespi is playing in Tucson, Ariz., against Salpointe Catholic.

But lots of schools are choosing to begin their mandatory 21-day dead period next week, when school lets out.

Others are waiting until early July to take time off. What time to take the dead period in the Southern Section depends on a coach’s philosophy.

Some coaches don’t want to let players head for vacation before the start of practice in August and have to get them back into shape. Others want their players to be in shape when practice begins in August, so they train through July. That’s a lot of nonstop work, especially if a team’s season lasts through much of December.

Regardless, big tournaments to watch are June 9 at Dana Hills, June 22-23 at La Verne Bonita, June 29-30 at Central Park in Saugus, July 7 at Mission Viejo, July 14 at Edison and July 21 at Santa Margarita.

-- Eric Sondheimer