Photos: Doherty football hits the field at midnight as fall season officially kicks off

COLORADO SPRINGS — Just as they have the previous two years, the Doherty football team hit the practice field at Gary Berry Stadium at the stroke of midnight.

The Spartans have made it an annual tradition to get hit the ground running the second the calendar turns to the first day of fall practice.

“From what I know, there’s no one else right now that is preparing for a non-mandatory midnight practice,” coach Jeff Krumlauf said. “But we’re officially able to have the practice at 12:01 so why not get to work?”

This year marks the first season that the start of fall practices moved up to fall in line with the NFHS calendar.

With practices beginning on Monday, the 98th year of CHSAA sports and activities is officially underway.