ROCKINGHAM — Local high school athletics will get the green light from the state to officially begin their season later this week.
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s window for the fall sports season opens Wednesday, July 31.
Richmond Senior High School’s six fall programs, many of which have been active over the summer months, will join the rush into the new school year with tryouts or practices.
The football program has scheduled its first two practices for late Wednesday and early Thursday as part of its Midnight Madness initiative.
Richmond’s cross country teams for boys and girls, led by Ashleigh Buie and Morgan Tedder, will be the school’s first program to host its tryouts. Runners will meet at Hinson Lake Wednesday and Thursday at 7 a.m.
The Lady Raider volleyball team, coached by Ashleigh Larsen, will hold tryouts Wednesday and Thursday for two hours (8 a.m. to 10 a.m.) and close with a final one-hour tryout Friday (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.).
The first varsity volleyball practice will follow at 10 a.m. Friday and the team will scrimmage Saturday at Sandhills Community College.
The boys’ soccer team and head coach Chris Larsen will also hold three days of tryouts between Wednesday and Friday (all 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.).
Soccer tryouts will be on the pitch, but Larsen said if it rains they’ll be moved into the gym. A varsity-only scrimmage is scheduled for Saturday at West Cabarrus High School.
Beginning Monday, Aug. 5, the Lady Raider tennis team and head coach Jessica Covington will begin its three-day tryout.
Held at the school’s tennis courts, the tryouts will begin at 8 a.m. before tennis camp starts at 9 a.m.
The final team to get its season started will be the girls’ golf team. Head coach Keith Parsons said the first two open practices for interested golfers will be Aug. 20 and 21 at Foxfire at 4 p.m.
All interested student-athletes must have up-to-date physicals and complete the required paperwork on Dragonfly Max in order to try out or participate.
The Richmond Observer will continue its award-winning coverage of Richmond’s fall sports teams throughout the season.
