The KHSAA “Dead Period” expired when the 12th-bell tolled, striking midnight, the ninth of July, 2021. Now the practices are mandatory. Now it’s “game-on.” Now it’s for real!
From “Dead Period” to the Friday night openers, it is down-hill sledding from here. Every year at this time it makes me think about the nautical saying “Batten down the hatches, full speed ahead.”
The term, “Batten Down the Hatches” is a from the early 19th century. It was used when a ship was about to enter rough seas.
The captain would order the crew to close all the hatches (doors) on the ship’s decks and use lengths of batten (rods) to secure the hatches in the closed position. It informed the crew to prepare for pending storms.
It is an entirely appropriate metaphor for high school football in the commonwealth of Kentucky. There are rough seas ahead for the men playing the coming season.
There will be plenty of rough road ahead. There will be copious amounts of work required. There is plenty of “heavy lifting” to do.
However, while the work is hard the reward is substantial and eternal. What awaits the men at the end of this arduous journey, at least for a lucky few, is immortality; is a championship; is a memory to last a lifetime.
Buckle up KPGFootball readers! It’s football time in Kentucky!
This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!
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