These may not be the funnest days ever for area athletes -- two-a-day football practices can be grueling -- but it's certainly a fun time for our News-Gazette sports staff.

We're planning on doubling up on our prep coverage for many of the days between Thursday and when the high school season starts on Aug. 29. Some stories will be in our regular section and others will be available at this blog.

I'll be making the rounds at all of the schools in Vermilion County and Marcus Jackson will be everywhere else. Tony Bleill is preparing to get the inside scoop on each of the Champaign-Urbana entries in the Big 12 Conference.

Here's where the fun starts. Marcus will be writing daily updates from his journey in the sports section of The News-Gazette. I'll be blogging about my trips almost every day. And Tony? Well, we'll work him into the lineup soon, too.

Here's a handy guide so everyone will know what to expect and when to expect it.

Thursday, Aug. 14--Marcus Jackson at St. Thomas More

Thursday, Aug. 14--Fred Kroner blogging about Westville

Friday, Aug. 15--Marcus Jackson at Villa Grove

Friday, Aug. 15--Fred Kroner blogging about Georgetown-Ridge Farm

Saturday, Aug. 16--Marcus Jackson at Fisher

Saturday, Aug. 16--Fred Kroner blogging about Oakwood/Armstrong-Potomac

Sunday, Aug. 17--Marcus Jackson at Unity

Sunday, Aug. 17--Fred Kroner will compile a notes package for The News-Gazette sports section

Monday, Aug. 18--Marcus Jackson at Paxton-Buckley-Loda

Monday, Aug. 18--Fred Kroner blogging about Bismarck-Henning

Tuesday, Aug. 19--Marcus Jackson at Tuscola

Tuesday, Aug. 19--Fred Kroner blogging about Salt Fork

Wednesday, Aug. 20--Marcus Jackson at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley

Wednesday, Aug. 20--Fred Kroner blogging about Hoopeston Area

Thursday, Aug. 21--Marcus Jackson at East Central

Thursday, Aug. 21--Fred Kroner blogging about Schlarman

Friday, Aug. 22--Marcus Jackson at Arcola

Friday, Aug. 22--Fred Kroner blogging about Danville

Saturday, Aug. 23--Marcus Jackson at Blue Ridge

Saturday, Aug. 23--Fred Kroner blogging about Milford

Sunday, Aug. 24--Marcus Jackson at both Monticello and Mahomet-Seymour

Sunday, Aug,. 24--Fred Kroner will compile a notes package for The News-Gazette sports section

Monday, Aug. 25--Marcus Jackson at St. Joseph-Ogden

Monday, Aug. 25--Tony Bleill at Urbana

Tuesday, Aug. 26--Marcus Jackson at both Cerro Gordo/DeLand-Weldon and Rantoul

Wednesday, Aug. 27--Tony Bleill at Centennial

Thursday, Aug. 28--Tony Bleill at Champaign Central

Thursday, Aug. 28--The annual News-Gazette special section on high school football will be printed

Friday, Aug. 29--Fred Kroner at Danville

Saturday, Aug.30--Coverage of Opening Night. We'll have at least a half-dozen reporters out and about. Included in the coverage will be Tony Bleill handling Normal West at Cham;paign Central; Fred Kroner covering Arcola at Salt Fork and Marcus Jackson writing about Rochester at Mahomet-Seymour.

Let the fun begin!

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