Making the rounds to football practices across our coverage area has officially become my fall rite of passage. It’s always interesting to see players and coaches when it’s not a Friday night and everyone is a little more relaxed. You get a true feeling for a team’s personality and what that team expects of itself in the upcoming season.

So, what is my most significant observation? It’s not as hot this year. Last year after a practice, I could finish a 32 oz. bottle of Gatorade and a 20 oz. bottle of water before I got back to the office. This year, I’m good after a 20 oz. Gatorade and only half the bottle of water.

I have noticed a few things that might be more relevant to how your favorite team will fare this season. We’ll discuss half the local teams today and go over the rest of them on Wednesday.

First, we could see some significant improvement at Billingsley and Thorsby. Take last year as a period of adjustment for Billingsley coach Kevin LeSueur and the Bears. LeSueur went from assistant at Class 6A powerhouse Prattville to head man at a much smaller school. On the other hand, the Billingsley players faced just as big of an adjustment.

The Bears should be better, and they’ll have to be because a tough schedule. Region foes include Maplesville, Sunshine, John Essex, Autaugaville, Linden, Akron, A.L. Johnson and Holy Spirit, then there’s a non-region game with Class 4A Dallas County High.

Thorsby will still be a young team this season (there are only four seniors on the squad), but that will be better than last year, when Thorsby was a young team decimated by injuries. Several guys that didn’t contribute last year – linebacker Kevin Brasher, receiver Evan Bryan, quarterback Andrew Farris, receiver Drake Hayes, running back Eddie Hubbard and offensive lineman Josh Whitman – will help make the Rebels significantly better.

Another team that has made significant improvement is Chilton County High. This time, I’m not talking about improvement from last year to this year but instead improvement from the spring to the fall. The Tigers looked lost back in May, but I think have turned the corner and know what first-year coach Brian Carter wants and how to get it done.

Being able to make an adjustment to a new coach says a lot about that group of players.

CCHS’s rival, Jemison, is a tough team to get a read on. The Panthers were very good last year but suffered from the effects of a killer schedule and a disappointing opening night loss to CCHS. Jemison has some questions on both sides of the ball, but I get the feeling they could be in line for another successful season. A visit to Clanton on Aug. 28 will set the tone.

Check back Wednesday for thoughts on Isabella, Maplesville, Marbury and Verbena.