SAVANNAH, Georgia—High school football practices kicked off this week, and scrimmages hit the gridiron this weekend.
High School football scrimmages are important for the head coach, coaching staff, and players as they provide an opportunity to test strategies and assess performance in a low-pressure environment. Yes, all teams want to win, but there is more to a scrimmage than a win or loss. Coaches use scrimmages to understand team dynamics, identify areas that need work, try out new plays, and new defensive schemes.
The coaching staff can evaluate player performances and adjust training plans accordingly. Players benefit from gaining in-game experience, fostering team chemistry, and honing their skills. In essence, scrimmages serve as a tool for preparation, ensuring that everyone is ready to hit the ground running when the official season begins. A new head coach and two veteran head coaches have the similar outlooks on why scrimmages are valuable.
The coaching staff can evaluate player performances and adjust training plans accordingly. Players benefit from gaining in-game experience, fostering team chemistry, and honing their skills. In essence, scrimmages serve as a tool for preparation, ensuring that everyone is ready to hit the ground running when the official season begins. A new local head coach and two local veteran head coaches have similar outlooks on why scrimmages are valuable.
As AE Beach High School head football coach Michael Thompson says, "A scrimmage is a great way to prepare your staff and players for real game 
situations. Considered a pretest before the big exam or a tune-up game before the first game. We do not celebrate scrimmages, but we use them to get better. We won't report scrimmages or highlight scrimmages because it's an extension of practice going against a different color jersey. It is a tool to get us ready for the regular season and get some good quality reps! Therefore, it is also gives us an opportunity to evaluate our athletes by putting them in certain situations to see how they will respond to adversity."
Not a new football coach, but a first-time head coach at St. Andrew's School, 
Wes Worthington stated the importance of participating in a scrimmage going into the Lion's first game. "We are looking to find football players who will play with great effort through the echo of the whistle and complete their assignments. In the fourth quarter, we will play our backups to create depth and find reliable guys to help us. The film will be critical in helping us identify areas of improvement leading into our season opener versus Edmund Burke."
Baker Woodward, a season head coach at Savannah Christian Prep, feels that scrimmages are valuable for players to compete against someone other than 
their teammates and assess the team's performance and readiness. "It will be good to hit someone else and gauge where we are offensively and defensively. It's not a real game, but it's an opportunity to learn who we are at this early point of preseason. Coaches and players will be well-prepared following spring practice, conditioning, and summer preseason practices."
For most teams, the regular season kicks off in three weeks on Friday, Aug. 16. There is a game a night earlier, Thursday, Aug. 15. Can't wait until then? Here is a compilation of scrimmages in the meantime:
2024 Savannah Area High School Football Scrimmage Schedule
Friday, Aug. 2
@Bryan County High School – Jamboree 6 pm
- Bryan County, AE Beach High School, Wheeler County High School
HV Jenkins High School at Richmond Hill High School 7:00 pm
Windsor Forest High School at Savannah Country Day School 7:00 pm
Robert W. Groves High School at Pierce County High School 7:30 pm
Savannah High School at Islands High School 7:30 pm
Thomas Jefferson Academy at Saint Andrew's School 7:00 pm
Saturday, Aug. 3
New Hampstead High School at Calvary Day School 10:00 am
Thursday, Aug. 8
Wayne County High School at Effingham County High School 7:00 pm
Friday, Aug. 9
Robert W. Groves High School at Savannah High School 7:00 pm
Camden County High School at Benedictine Military School 7:30 pm
Sol C. Johnson High School at Portal High School 7:30 pm
Savannah Christian Preparatory School at Mcintosh Co. Academy 7:30 pm
South Effingham High School at Screven County High School 7:30 pm
Thank you to all the coaches who sent scimmage information. If your team has a scrimmage or jamboree scheduled that is not listed, please email me who they are scrimmaging, the date, time, and location to kdemasi@prepsportsreport.com
Photo Credit: Jeff Roberts courtesy WTOC Sports, coaches social media
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Optim Orthopedics is a familiar face on Savannah's prep sports scene, from the diamond to the court. More than just logos on jerseys, Optim's dedication to local athletes runs deep, providing crucial medical support to eight powerhouse high schools: Dr. Don Aaron: Bryan County Middle/High School, Dr. David Sedory: Benedictine Military, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County, Dr. David Palmer: Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham, and Dr. Thomas Alexander: Savannah Country Day, and St. Vincent's - Southeast Leaders in fellowship-trained Orthopedics Surgeons. Optim Orthopedics proudly sponsors the Prep Sports Report. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game.
