Just throwing the pigskin around

 It could be classified as unorganized organization.

While it took effort to put together a football passing league session with area schools Southwest, Jacksonville, Northside and Croatan, as well as with New Bern, Thursday's exhibition at Southwest High School was rather laid back.

Just the way the passing leagues are supposed to be.

With the start of official practice still 43 days away and the start of the season 63 days away, gridiron coaches are using these passing leagues to build a foundation and see what players fit where while also providing those inexperienced an opportunity to prove their skills.

Summer passing leagues have been used by football coaches for many years. They are small-sided scrimmages, typically seven on seven or eight on eight, in which one team's defense guards another's offense for a set number of plays. Helmets are the only gear used and a play is ruled dead when a ball carrier is touched.

Almost sounds like a day in the backyard, except, no score is kept and coaches often times will instruct during a dead ball. After a handful of series, the teams scrimmage other squads.

And while the thought of passing league would make the normal bystander assume this form of practice just benefits offensive skilled players, some coaches actually use the drills as a way to test out their defenses.

Such was the case particularly for head coaches Bob Eason of Northside and Croatan's David Perry.

"We teach them how to play zone defense," said Eason, whose program has perennially been one of the area's most staunch defenses. "We have a new defensive coordinator in Derick Jones."

And as for Perry?

"A lot of this is for defense and playing fast coverage," said Perry. "We want to see what coverage can work and how to attack the ball."

And as for Southwest and Jacksonville, Stallions coach Phil Padgett and Cardinals coach Ben Marsh used the passing league to get their player's feet wet, especially those on the offensive side.

"This just gives us a little feel and a chance to get a look see where we are at," said Padgett. "We haven't had time to do anything else, everybody is doing something, so I'm glad we had a chance to get together."

Marsh elaborated.

"We have had exams and the players had been off due to the graduations," said the Jacksonville coach. "We have also had to work around baseball and basketball.

"Today we just wanted to go out and run with the helmets and see who can play somewhere and who can throw and catch."

Still, the pieces of the puzzle for coaches won't start coming together until the beginning of actual practice. The initial practice is slated to Aug. 1.

"You really can't hang your hat on the summer," Marsh said. "All this is good, but the real football comes when you put pads on."

n Note: The Phil Padgett football camp at Southwest is slated to July 30-Aug.1 for students who will be in grades K-9 for the upcoming school year.

Players will receive instruction from the SWO staff and players. Pre-registration will take place from June 20 with the cost $40. Just come in the school weight room between 5-7 p.m. and register with a coach. The registration fee after June 20 will be $50.

Also, the Southwest "Grand Slam" baseball camp is slated to June 23-26 for those that will be in grades K-8. The cost is $40 and registration will take place on June 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the rear gym lobby.