Football: Passing tournaments set to begin in May

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It is now officially going to be the strangest summer in the history of high school football in Southern California.

Thanks to the decision to begin playing football games the week of Aug. 24-25, high school teams are changing their practice schedules, and passing tournaments will start sooner than ever.

Los Angeles Valley College has scheduled a seven-on-seven high school passing tournament for May 19.

The Conejo Valley tournament will be June 22-23, along with the Bonita tournament. The Saugus tournament will be June 29-30.

There’s a new tournament sponsored by Under Armour that will take place at Santa Margarita on July 7. The Edison tournament will take place July 14.

Southern Section coaches are trying to decide when to take a mandatory three-week dead period. Some schools are doing it in June and others in July.

And practice is starting sooner than ever.

‘We start practice tomorrow,’ Westlake Coach Jim Benkert said.

Yes, the Warriors begin voluntary passing activities on Saturday morning, rain or shine.

Welcome to the world of high school football, 2012.

-- Eric Sondheimer