Denton Ryan High School will observe a full month-long break in July, a decision that distinguishes the program from many other Texas high school football teams that typically continue strength and conditioning drills during the summer. New head coach Shane Tolleson is among a growing number of Dallas-area athletic directors and coaches who are concerned that excessive summer training schedules are leading to overuse injuries and diminishing physical returns for student-athletes.
Tolleson stated that he does not believe a three-week pause in training will impact the team’s ability to compete for a state championship in December. He acknowledged that some observers might view his approach as unusual, but emphasized that the priority is long-term athlete health rather than early-season gains. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 30 million children and adolescents participate in youth sports across the United States. Data from Step & Spine Physical Therapy indicates that approximately half of the 3.5 million sports-related injuries occurring annually among youth are caused by overuse.
Coppell football coach Antonio Wiley noted that the modern recruiting landscape, particularly the influence of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, drives many high school athletes to attend numerous college camps and work with private trainers. Wiley warned that this pressure creates a risk of overworking young bodies that are not yet fully developed. He described the situation as expecting an athlete’s body to perform like a high-end vehicle while treating it with the care of a standard one. To mitigate this, Wiley provides his players with significant rest periods, including the first week of summer, approximately ten days around the Fourth of July, and the week preceding fall workouts.
The Texas UIL permits two hours of daily strength and conditioning and up to 90 minutes of sport-specific skill instruction during the summer, with no more than 60 minutes dedicated to a single sport per day. However, coaches like Allen’s Lee Wiginton observe that athletes often exceed these limits by participating in external events. Wiginton pointed to the recent 7-on-7 state tournament in College Station, where 128 teams competed, as an example of the intense schedule athletes face. He noted that human nature often leads individuals to pile on beneficial activities simultaneously, resulting in fatigue and a lack of growth.
