Unlike the rest of the summer, area high school gyms and practice fields are empty this week, as the Georgia High School Association's "dead week" is effect.

This mark just the third year that the GHSA has implemented the rule, which prohibits member schools from conducting team practices, conditioning drills or be involved in competitions on or off the school's campuses.

Usual summer activities such as weight training, running drills, passing league football games, school-based summer baseball leagues and any type of team camp may not occur during the week, which always falls during the week of July 4 and extends this year through July 9.

"The Fourth of July is the firmest point of reference we have and it appears to fall at a good point in the summer calendar," said GHSA Executive Director Ralph Swearngin.

According to Swearngin, the GHSA adopted the rule after being approached by a group of coaches who felt like they, along with their players, needed a break.

"The coaches felt that this break had to be mandated lest another coach gain an advantage by working his or her players while they took time off," Swearngin said.

Around local high schools, area coaches will be making the best of the "time off," as it will allow them time to plan for the upcoming season and give their players the chance for some much needed rest. "I think it comes at the right time because we do so much in June," Flowery Branch coach Lee Shaw said. "With all the 7-on-7 tournaments - we played in six big ones - we're tired. The summer and season are grinds, and I think (dead week) is a good thing, especially if you do a lot in the summer.

"We really get going during spring ball, and that sling shots into summer workouts. So it's a great recharge for us."

Like Shaw and his coaching staff, most programs use the time to take vacation. "It's our halfway point in the summer," Chestatee coach Stan Luttrell said.

However, not all coaches are in favor of the recently GHSA-mandated dead week.

"I don't like it at all," West Hall coach Mike Newton said. "It doesn't help football at all. We're in the heart of getting ready, and we've got to take off for a week and come back with three weeks to go before Aug. 1.
I wish they'd do it right after school gets out, like around June. That's when kids are getting done playing spring sports, so it gives them a break afterward.

"I do think there has to be a break, I just wish it weren't in the middle of the summer. We encourage coaches and players to go on vacation, but that's the most expensive time to go."

Luttrell believes the timing of dead week is "perfect," especially coming from coaching in Tennessee.

"We had two separate dead weeks there," he said. "The last week of June and in July."