Though the summer temperatures have been unforgiving, don’t be fooled. Fall is right around the corner. With the calender now turned to August, Jasper County high school sports fans can expect to see a schedule full of competition rapidly approaching, along with a new school year.

I’ve taken the liberty of jotting down some dates that fans and parents will want to keep an eye on to help get them ready for the season.

Aug. 6 — All fall sports practice starts, with teams allowed to go full pads on Aug. 9. Teams will have about 2 1⁄2 weeks to get ready for their first game of the season.