By Stephen Henderson

The Patrick County High School Cougar football team returned to summer conditioning Monday morning after taking a week off for vacations and the Virginia High School League-mandated “dead week” prior to fall sports tryouts.

According to head coach David Morrison, the team will compete in a 7-on-7 match-up Tuesday, July 18, at the Smith River Sports Complex.

According to Morrison, “Our team goals for this week are to refine our two minute offense, strengthen our 3- and 5-step drop game, and to continue to improve defensively,” he said.

He emphasized that each player’s goal should be to show up and go all out during the upcoming weeks of conditioning before the official start of the season July 31. “It’s time to separate the men from the boys; let’s get in and make the family stronger!” he added.