Kickoff for high school football season may be almost two months away, but area players already have been working toward the first game.

For first-year head coach Darryl Burns, work at Dallas County High has included more than just working with the kids. It’s also meant working with hammers and nails.

“The school board has really been fantastic,” Burns said. “Not just with Dallas County. They want all the kids to have the best of everything.”

Burns said he has been pleased with the response from the players.

“That’s what we want to do is get the kids involved,” he said. “We are planning to have 7-on-7s with Thorsby and Verbena soon. We are trying to get that down.”

At Southside, Lemuel Jones also has been pleased with the players’ responses, especially with the newcomers.

“We have had a great turnout from our younger people,” said Jones, who added workouts are averaging 25 players a day. “I have been well pleased. They are showing a lot of promise.”

Jones said he is looking forward to Aug. 3, the first day for AHSAA schools to begin practices. He said he plans to strap on pads and work on plays.

“That’s the advantage of the summer workouts,” he said. “You can give hands-on individual attention to the players so they’ll be ready to go when Aug. 28 rolls around.”

Southside opens its season at Selma, where Foster Davis was drilling his troops Monday.

“I feel blessed this time of year to have as many kids out,” said Davis, who said he averaged 35 players a day. “I expect to get 25 more as the season begins.”

Like Jones, Davis was glad to see the number of younger players who are working out during the summer.

“Most of the ones who have been coming out are sophomores,” Davis said. “I feel better than I did last year because I have a better idea of what players we have.”

Coach Harry Crum plans to start putting his Keith High players through their paces starting Wednesday.

“We’re doing a reorganization of the field house,” Crum said. “It’s going to put us in kind of a pinch early on, but we had the opportunity to do it.”

Coaches for Meadowview and Morgan Academy could not be reached Monday for comment.