NEWMAN, Calif – On Tuesday, the Orestimba and Gustine High football teams will take a mandatory two-week break.

So do the rest of the Warrior and Reds’ athletic teams prepare for the 2025-25 school year.

For a second consecutive year, the Sac-Joaquin Section is implementing its mandatory, no-contact dead period for all sports from July 1-14. During this time, coaches cannot have any form of communication with their student athletes. This includes in-person and phone.

This rule applies to both paid and volunteer coaches and aims to give athletes and coaches a break before the new sports season and school year begins.

Student athletes are allowed to get together amongst themselves, if no coaches, paid and volunteers are not present. Student athletes can still train, condition, and compete in club sports if it is of their free will and won’t put them in contact with their high school coaches.

The section passed the bylaw in January 2024

High school football teams, along with other fall sports, can resume communications and preparation for the upcoming season such as weight training and conditioning beginning on Tuesday, July 15.

Prep football squads can officially start practices on Monday, July 28.

Orestimba (7-5 overall during the 2024 season) and Gustine (5-7 in 2024) will open the season against each other in the football season opener at Warrior Stadium on Friday, Aug. 22.

Orestimba will play Grace Davis of Modesto, LeGrand and Freedom of Oakley in preseason before beginning its second season in the Trans-Valley League on Friday, Sept. 26 hosting Sonora (13-2 in 2024).

After its Westside rivalry opener, Gustine will play Millennium of Tracy, Riverbank and Yosemite in preseason. The Reds will start Southern Athletic League action against Mariposa on Friday, Sept. 19.

Mike Bush is a multimedia journalist who was born and raised in the Stanislaus and Merced County areas. Follow him on X/Twitter @MikeBMultimedia and Instagram @mikebushmedia.