Acclimation Week in Bainbridge

Published 11:40 am Wednesday, July 30, 2025

As Bainbridge Bearcat football gears up for a bounce-back season, Acclimation Week marks a critical phase in preparing football players for the rigors of full-contact football. For Head Coach Jay Walls, the week isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about conditioning, fundamentals, and mental readiness.

“Acclimation is five days that kids have to wear a helmet and, mouthpiece. They can’t have on any other gear,” Walls explained. “If they’ve done their five days, then they can put on full gear.”

During this week, players learn to push through the sweltering Georgia heat, a challenge that mirrors the intensity of fourth-quarter battles. It’s also when younger athletes begin to grasp the pace and expectations of varsity football, while veterans sharpen their execution and leadership. Whether it’s mastering footwork in positional drills, building stamina through conditioning circuits, or reinforcing communication during team walkthroughs, every rep matters.

While the Georgia heat is a challenge in itself, Walls emphasized that the Bearcats are already well-prepared thanks to a summer of structured workouts.

“Our kids are acclimated already,” he said. “We work out from the first week of June until summer’s over. So really, when we get back to acclimation week, we’re just continuing on with what we’ve been doing.” 

The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) has a strict policy regarding heat accommodation, which is based upon mitigating the risk of heat-related illnesses. Acclimation week is uniquely structured in the state of Georgia with a strong emphasis on facing the challenging weather conditions. 

The GHSA’s Acclimation Week begins on Monday, July 21, and it’s all about easing athletes into the season. No hitting or tackling just yet—contact is off-limits. Equipment ramps up gradually:

Helmets for the first two days, shoulder pads added on days three and four, full pads by day five, but still no contact drills

This period also includes heat adaptation and strict practice caps to keep players safe. It’s a key stretch before everything kicks into high gear on Monday, July 28.

The focus during this period is on conditioning, speed, and strength development, alongside skill refinement.

“We’re trying to improve in the weight room in strength. We started conditioning in July, and it goes through acclimation. We’re trying to improve on speed and conditioning,” Walls noted. “And we’re still working on skill work, running drills, running plays, trying to improve on fundamentals.”

Before the pads go on, the Bearcats build something deeper. Acclimation week is where the habits, mindset, and unity that define their season begin to take root.