With all the winter weather Dawson County has been experiencing, it is hard to believe that several spring sports can begin conditioning or practice over the next couple of weeks.

The Georgia High School Association dictates when each sport may begin practice, the date that teams may play their first game, and how many contests each sport may participate in.

Tennis could begin its first day of practice on Jan. 17 with its first match to begin on Feb. 7. Both boys and girls tennis teams may play 18 total matches apiece, with the junior varsity playing a maximum of 13 contests.

As of Jan. 24, both girls and boys soccer programs may begin practice, along with boys track.

Soccer may play a maximum of 18 games with 13 junior varsity games.

Track may participate in 10 meets and the junior varsity may have seven meets.

Baseball, girls track and golf may begin practicing on Jan. 31.

Baseball may play 26 regular season games and 18 junior varsity contests.

Girls track has the same stipulations as does boys track and golf may play 12 varsity dates and eight junior varsity dates.

Most of these teams have been voluntarily participating in conditioning programs. The conditioning regimes must be open to all students as ordered by the Georgia High School Association.

Conditioning programs also cannot be sport specific.

The number of games may change depending on whether a sport participates in a tournament. The number is sport specific and may vary depending on number of tournaments.

Despite the winter weather, spring sports are right around the corner.