In a summer filled with days that felt like fall, Friday's weather was a rare taste of summer. Ironically, it was also the first day of the high school fall sports season with five Barrington athletic squads taking to the practice fields for the first time.

Only the football team had held official practices prior to Friday. Last year's Division-Two Super Bowl champions have held double-session practices since the 16th.

Dressed in full gear from the waist up, and gym shorts and cleats from the waist down, players were divided into three stations where they took part in quick-whistle, light-contact drills.

"Right now we're just trying to get our offense and defense in there," said coach Bill McCagney. "We need to get everybody in shape."

Quarterback Matt Capone sets to fire a pass.

A piercing whistle halted action at one station and a group of lumbering players peeled off toward a trio of watering wands.

"They don't seem ready to go full tilt yet," said the coach. "Half of them are getting tired. It looks like they've forgotten how to block. I'll be interested to see who really wants to hit when we get the pads on."

McCagney didn't have to wait too long for that answer. The team began full-contact practices the next morning.

Just yards away the field hockey team convened in right field of the baseball diamond. The players formed a semicircle around coach Lee Markowski who stressed the importance of hard work before the team's first contest next week.

However, the shortage of practice time before play begins is something Markowski isn't stressing over. Much of her team's preseason work took place during summer camps. Her team's opening week of practices, which included double sessions on Friday, Monday and Tuesday, were used to fine tune team skills, build unity and chemistry, and figure out who will play on varsity club.

On the other side of the campus the girl's soccer team split into a series of drills where players were forced to maintain ball control against defenders in tight quarters. The girls danced inside of the boxed lines as coach Steve Pickford surveyed the scene.

"This is our first day of practice," said the coach. "So I really have no idea how we look so far."

The team practiced for three hours Friday and returned to the field behind the tennis courts for double sessions on Monday and Tuesday.

During their morning sessions the nearby tennis courts were occupied by members of the girl's tennis team. The Eagle netters set 8:30 a.m. practices each morning leading into the school year at which time Ed Anelundi's team will commence afternoon workouts.

Members of the boys' soccer team are hopeful by that time their coach will allow them to use a soccer ball during workouts. Prior to their 4:30 p.m. practice half a dozen players congregated on the open lawn near the back lot to boot balls through a half-netted goal.

Formal practices, however, were devoted solely to endurance training. Once the full team arrived, coach Joe Avila marched his squad from the goal to a larger open area on the campus where another ball-less practice began.

Only the girls' volleyball team escaped the sun's hot summer rays Friday, but the players certainly weren't able to beat the heat. Inside the school gymnasium practice wound down and the girls one-by-one exited the suffocating, muggy gym.

"The girls are supposed to be sweating, not me," said coach Ron Enos, his T-shirt soaked with perspiration. "It's good to be back so soon."

This season will mark the inaugural year in which volleyball will be played in the fall months — the effects of the change are already apparent.

Enos has seen a spike in team attendance despite losing four players to other fall sports. A shocking 18 freshman flooded to the first practice last week.

Like the field hockey team, the volleyball squad has precious little time before its season begins.

"Right now I'm focussing on skills and conditioning," said Enos. "We have some early scrimmages and I'm going to have to make some quick decisions."

Immediately outside the gymnasium doors the weight of the air was lifted. Outside the humidity had vanished and to the echoing sounds of distant whistles the girls made their way to the suddenly bustling school parking lot. There, a warm breeze offered further relief and an August synergy between the summer and the fall.

By adam cote

sports@eastbaynewspapers.com