With the Arkansas Activities Association dead period starting next week, White Hall wrapped up the first month of summer workouts with its second team camp Thursday morning.
New White Hall head coach Daryl Patton said the camp went well.
“It’s gone OK, not bad,” Patton said. “We’ve got a lot of kids missing. Got several kids at a baseball tournament, several kids in summer school, a couple kids sick. We’ve (got) probably 2/3 starting offense. We’ve had to plug some guys in, which is good. Same thing on defense, so a lot of guys have got some reps.”
This was White Hall’s second camp of the summer, with both at Bulldog Stadium. This camp also featured Watson Chapel, Warren, Hamburg, Little Rock Central, El Dorado, Marion and Lonoke.
The Bulldogs previously hosted a camp on June 13 and have another camp scheduled for July 9, the second day back from the AAA dead period.
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Patton said he prefers having camps at home.
“It’s just awesome,” Patton said. “I love team camps here at our place. We’ve got another one in July we’ll have here. As long as I’m here, we’re always going to have them here. It’s hard to get 50-60 kids on a bus to go somewhere. You’ve got to worry about feeding them lunch. Here is here. It’s nice and easy.”
This camp wrapped up the first month of summer work since Patton took over as head coach. While both team camps have been in White Hall, the Bulldogs did travel twice this month for 7-on-7 tournaments.
The first was at the University of Arkansas at Monticello. White Hall went 6-1 at UAM, finishing second to Monticello. A few players received scholarship offers from the Boll Weevils that day. The Bulldogs then traveled to Benton and went 2-3.
Patton said June went well for the Bulldogs.
“Two team camps with probably about 150 snaps of offense and defense, so it’s been good,” Patton said. “It’s just continued one-day improvements. We’re getting better on all of it, so I can’t really point out one thing. It’s a little bit of everything.”
White Hall will return from the two-week dead period Aug. 8. In addition to their final team camp at home, the Bulldogs will head to Lake Hamilton for a 7-on-7 tournament July 11. That will be White Hall’s final varsity camp or tournament of the summer, though the Bulldogs have some sub-varsity events on the schedule afterward.
Patton said in July, the Bulldogs need to up the intensity to prepare for the start of fall practice.
“Gotta take it up another notch,” Patton said. “Everything is intensified. Team camp is intensified. 7-on-7 in Lake Hamilton will be a big one. I just want to see our kids keep progressing and getting ready for Aug. 5.”
White Hall will host Stuttgart for a scrimmage on Aug. 20. Patton will make his regular season debut with the Bulldogs on Aug. 30 when they travel to Sheridan for the Battle of Highway 270.