The Calhoun Soccer Complex was full of action on Tuesday and Wednesday, and there were more balls being thrown around rather than kicked around.

The Calhoun High Football team hosted a two-day passing camp at the complex with scrimmages running from 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. both days.

Eight teams, including the host Calhoun along with Pepperell, Model, Adairsville, Villa Rica, North Murray, Northwest Whitfield and Gilmer County, participated in the camp with each team getting in four scrimmages each day.

“I think the camp went great,” said Calhoun coach Hal Lamb. “All the teams got some good scrimmaging in both days, and we were fortunate to have Greg Cater come and speak to us from the FCA. So, overall it was a great two days we’ve had.”

Camps and passing leagues are an important part of the summer programs for high school teams because it gives them extra reps together before fall practice starts. In the past few years these types of camps and passing scrimmages have become as much a part of teams’ summer programs as summer workouts.

“It’s great to get this time together as a group,” said Lamb. “This really serves as bona fide practice time, and being able to work on the passing game and passing defense is big, especially for a team like us.

“It’s good and bad, because you can work on a lot of stuff, but once you put the pads on, it’s a different ballgame.”

Players and coaching staffs are inching ever closer to the start of the season and before that, the beginning of fall practice. For the Jackets, the first day of mandatory practice is less than two weeks away as they will get going on July 30.

“I think we’re ready,” said Lamb. “The kids and coaches are tired of this summer, and we’re ready to get into the season. We’ve got a very important preseason to get to so we’re looking forward to it.”

The Jackets are coming off a Class AA State Championship after defeating Buford, 27-24, last December at the Georgia Dome. The title has injected even more life into a thriving program.

“I think the offseason has been great,” said Lamb. “Especially for our younger kids, they’ve had a tremendous amount of focus. Our older kids have been really good too.

“Our summer programs have gotten better and better each summer, and this one was no different.”

The Jackets will get their first on-field test on Thursday, Aug. 16 when they travel down to Rome scrimmage Rome High at Barron Stadium.

The regular season kicks off on Aug. 31 when the Jackets will host Ridgeland in the opener.

Gordon Central and Sonoraville will also both soon begin fall practice as they prepare to enter a new region this season. The Warriors and Phoenix will play in Region 5-AAA.

Sonoraville will host Armuchee for a scrimmage on Friday, Aug. 17, and Gordon Central will visit Cass for their scrimmage on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

They will also kickoff the regular season on Aug. 31 with Sonoraville hosting Pickens and Gordon Central hosting Coosa.