The dog days of summer are nearly in the rear-view mirror for local high school athletes.

On-campus athletic facilities came alive Monday afternoon, as the first official day of practice marked the end of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s “Dead Period.”

The Dead Period began on July 22, kicking off a three-week stretch in which sports-specific activities and equipment cannot be used. Only weightlifting and conditioning were allowed.

For football, teams can begin holding full-contact practices in pads on Wednesday provided they have at least two days of pre-conditioning. Teams of all fall sports can begin scrimmaging against others begin on Aug. 24, and the regular season opens up with nonleague contests on Aug. 30.