You can always count on people saying the summer is too short. But since you can't get more time, it's best to take full advantage of the time you have.
The Helias Crusaders football team feel they did just that under new head coach Tim Rulo.
"It was a great learning experience for everyone," Rulo said during Helias' media day Saturday morning at the school. "For the coaches, the players, the parents, I think we all accomplished a lot."
It was a chance for the Crusaders to become familiar with what's expected by Rulo, who came to Helias from South Callaway.
"It's a process," Rulo said. "Every day, we make more and more strides toward that."
Helias senior running back/defensive back Weston Porter believes the Crusaders are on the right track.
"We had a great summer and that was a great opportunity to get better," Porter said. "We're getting better each and every day, that's all you can ask for."
One big change will come on the offensive side of the ball. Helias has operated out of the spread formation for almost 10 years, but will go from the veer this season.
"I don't think there's a bigger change you could have in styles," Helias senior quarterback Alex Faddoul said. "We're coming together and we're going to succeed. We put in a lot of work to get it done."
The formation change means Faddoul, a Class 4 first-team all-state selection last year, will be taking snaps under center instead of in the shotgun.
The Crusaders are still adapting to the new system.
"When you're trying to make wholesale changes, it can take some time," Rulo said.
For the first time, Helias took advantage of a Missouri State High School Activities Association rule that allows teams to participate against other squads in scrimmages during the summer.
"If we hadn't done those, I don't know where we'd be right now," Rulo said. "But when you count the snaps we got against other teams, it was almost two games' worth. You can't beat that, especially when you're trying to install a new offense.
"It's going to be a process all year to try to get the new offense working."
The Crusaders are glad they got in the scrimmages.
"When we get to our first game, playing somebody new won't seem all that different," Faddoul said.
Later Saturday, the Crusaders went through their first practice in full pads of the preseason.
Helias is scheduled to participate in a Jamboree on Friday in Wardsville against Blair Oaks and Centralia. Action is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Helias will open the season Friday, Aug. 21, at Nixa. Game time is 7 p.m.