The Bainbridge High School Bearcats football team is anxious to get back to hitting in full pads, according to coach Jeff Littleton.

This Thursday, Aug. 1, is the first day that players can participate in a full practice, including helmets and shoulder pads with physical contact. Littleton said his team will hit the field at 9 a.m.

“I know that the guys are really excited about getting out there and hitting again,” said Littleton, who is in his first season as the head coach of the Bearcats. “Anytime you go through a whole summer lifting weights and conditioning, you’re anxious to go out on the practice field and put it all to use.”

Littleton said that the team has been continuing its regular weightlifting, conditioning and formation drills all the way through the end of July. In the past several days, the team has begun to install much more of its offense, defense and special teams, even though they have only been able to practice in shorts and helmets.

“We’ve got our special teams already in, and now we just have to get a few things smoothed out there,” he said. “We’ve been incorporating a lot more of our offensive and defensive fundamentals over this last period.”

In previous years, the Bearcats have marked the start of the practice season with a “Midnight Madness” event. However, Littleton said there are no plans to do such an event this year.

“We’ll be out there at 9 in the morning, ready to get after it,” he said.

Because the Decatur County Schools start their academic year this Friday, the Bearcats will move quickly into their regular after-school routine. While some schools who start later in the year may seemingly have an advantage because they can have “two-a-day” longer practices, Littleton said he’s not concerned.

Littleton also said that he has been very pleased with the Bearcats’ progress throughout the summer months.

“I’m very pleased with where the team is overall,” he said. “Conditioning wise, I’d say we’re in good shape, and we’ve really worked hard in the weight room.”

Bainbridge will host Chamblee in a pre-season scrimmage game Friday, Aug. 16. The Bearcats will then open the 2013 regular season by hosting East Gadsden (Fla.) on Friday, Aug. 23.

The remainder of the schedule is as follows:

• Sept. 6 — Bainbridge at Cairo, 7:30 p.m.

• Sept. 13 — Early County at Bainbridge, 7:30 p.m.

• Sept. 20 — Bainbridge at Westlake, 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 4 — Thomas County Central at Bainbridge, 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 11 — Harris County at Bainbridge, 7:30 p.m. (Senior Night)

• Oct. 18 — Bainbridge at Hardaway, 7:30 p.m.

• Oct. 25 — Northside-Columbus at Bainbridge, 7:30 p.m. (Homecoming)

• Nov. 1 — Bainbridge at Dothan, 7:30 p.m. Central

• Nov. 8 — Bainbridge at Lee County, 7:30 p.m.