First Day Of Football Practice

Football practice has begun!

Friday was the first day of practice for fall sports, according to the South Carolina High School League rules.

Wade Hampton took to the field at a cooler point during the day with an evening practice that lasted for about two hours.  

Coach Kent Haltiwanger told the team following practice he could already see one thing they needed to do — hydrate. He told the young men to start drinking water and to do it often. He also told them that would be the last practice they would drive to the practice field. He said from this point out, they would leave the student parking lot and walk or run to the field as a team.

At an FCA fundraiser Haltiwanger, who is in his ninth year coaching the Generals, said his team has seen a lot of turnover in two seasons.

In 2012, Wade Hampton saw 32 seniors graduate from the team. In 2013, they lost an additional 33. 

"That's 65 kids in two years," Haltiwanger said. "But our kids believe in themselves and that's a great thing."

Last year the Generals' most impressive win was a 17-10 victory over Gaffney, eventual 4A state champions, during a Region 2-AAAA game at Wade Hampton.