Fall sports season gets underway Aug. 14

New Prague High School will hold a meeting for all fall athletes in grades 9-12 at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14.

Bob Scripture, high school athletic director, announced the meeting. All forms and fees for the fall season should be turned in at this meeting. Fees for all fall sports are $125. Students who are eligible for free and reduced school lunches may also qualify for a fee waiver.

The meeting will include discussion about athletic eligibility rules and policies for both the high school and the Minnesota State High School League.

Anyone with questions can call the high school athletic office at 952-758-1225.

The following sports are offered during the fall season.

Cross Country

Julie Berg is the coach for the boys and girls cross country teams. Practice will be at the high school beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 14. The first meet of the season will be Friday, Sept. 1, at St. Olaf College.

Girls Tennis

Matt Duoos is the coach for the girls tennis team. Practice will begin at the high school at 8 a.m. The first meet of the season will be at home on Wednesday, Aug. 23, against Lakeville North.

Volleyball

Pauline Mankowski returns as coach of the Trojan volleyball team. Grades 10-12 will practice beginning at 8 a.m. at the high school. The ninth graders will begin practice at 8:30 a.m., also at the high school. The first meet of the season will be Thursday, Aug. 24, at Owatonna.

Football

Tony Buthe is the coach of the Trojan football team. Grades 10-12 will begin practice at 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 14, at the high school. Ninth graders will have their first practice at 6 p.m. Monday. The team's first game is Thursday, Aug. 31, at St. Michael-Albertville.

Girls Swimming

This is the first year that New Prague will offer its own girls swimming program. Previously, the team had been part of a cooperative program with Montgomery-Lonsdale High School, but that school has dropped the sport. Josh Franz, who was the MLNP coach, has been hired to coach the Trojan squad. Practice for all athletes in grades 7-12 will be at 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 14, at the Montgomery-Lonsdale High School pool. There will be a bus leaving from New Prague Middle School at 7:15 a.m. The first meet of the season will be Tuesday, Aug. 29, at Mankato East.

Middle school sports

Practice for all middle school teams will begin Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 3 p.m., except for the girls swim team, which starts Aug. 14. New this year at the seventh and eighth grade level are boys and girls soccer. Other sports offered include football, volleyball for grades 7-8 and boys and girls cross country and girls tennis for grades 6-8.

There will be a meeting for all middle school athletes and their parents on Monday, Aug. 21, at 6 p.m. in the middle school gym. Fees and forms should be turned in at this meeting and rules will be discussed. After the meeting, there will be meetings with athletes, parents and their fall coaches.