WAKE UP! ON ETBLITZ | Cowboys report for camp today; more on local upcoming events in Wake Up! Heads Up!
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can’t go by Cozy Coffee Station today. That’s not a directive; it’s because their locations in Kilgore and Gilmer are closed on Sundays. But they’ll be back early Monday to get you started, or keep you in the game later in the day. Check them out at Home | Cozy Coffee Station (otherwise known as cozycoffeestation.com), and visit them at 755 Highway 271 in Gilmer, home of the Buckeyes, or at 110 Midtown Plaza in Kilgore, home of the Bulldogs.
Cowboys camp begins
It’s finally here.
Today is step one of getting ready for football season: the arrival of the Dallas Cowboys to their camp in Oxnard, California.
Why Oxnard, California, you ask?
Beats me.
Why don’t they just have it at The Star in Frisco? Well, other than they’d have to be primarily inside because Texas is hotter than a thousand suns, I suppose because the California camp is a tradition, I know that the most talked-about item at Cowboys camp this particular year, unless it’s put to an end with a new contract, is the contract situation between the franchise and pass-rusher / defensive star Micah Parsons.
So here, courtesy of the people who ought to know (that’d be the Dallas Cowboys) at dallascowboys.com, is how things look for the foreseeable future, their camp schedule:
For the rest of July:
- July 20: Team arrival in Oxnard
- July 22: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- July 23: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- July 24: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- July 25: Oxnard Fan Night hosted by Visit Oxnard (4-6 p.m.)
- July 26: Opening Day Ceremony (doors open 9:15 a.m.) + Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- July 27: Open practice (First padded, 11:45 a.m.)
- July 28: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- July 30: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- July 31: Heroes Appreciation Day presented by USAA + practice (11:45 a.m.)
And for August:
- August 2: Open practice (10 a.m.)
- August 4: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- August 5: Joint open practice with Rams (2 p.m.)
- August 7: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- August 8: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- August 9: Preseason – Cowboys visit Rams (7 p.m. CT)
- August 12: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- August 13: Open practice (11:45 a.m.)
- August 14: Break camp, team departs for Dallas
- August 16: Preseason – Cowboys host Ravens (7 p.m. CT)
- August 22: Preseason – Cowboys host Falcons (8 p.m. CT)
- August 26: Deadline to reduce rosters to 53 players
- August 27: Deadline for waiver claims on released players
- August 27: Clubs can begin forming practice squad
See this on their site at this link: Official 2025 Cowboys training camp calendar, dates revealed.
You’ll note the three preseason games: at the L.A. Rams (at SoFi Stadium) on Aug. 9, a 7 p.m. kickoff here in Central time in East Texas; Aug. 16, a home game against the Baltimore Ravens (at 7 p.m. at AT&T Stadium); and at home against Atlanta on Aug. 22 (8 p.m.).
We’ll have a daily camp update, beginning tomorrow.
Wake Up! Heads Up!
The last few days, Wake Up! has been just keeping you guys aware of upcoming things that are happening in the communities in our area related to sports. We’re going to do that again here, and if you have something that you think belongs in our Wake Up! Heads Up! section, drop me an email at mlucas@etblitz.com.
Softball tryouts at KC
Kilgore College softball is hosting a tryout / combine next week.
The tryout is next Thursday, July 24, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Rangers’ home field, The Ballpark at KC Commons, located just off Houston Street in Kilgore, not far from the KC campus.
There is a registration fee of $80 for players that are currently seniors through seventh graders. It’ll be a same-day sign-up.
Athletes should wear clothes suitable for softball play and bring their own tennis shoes, cleats, turf shoes, glove, helmet and bat. Also, bring a water bottle.
For more information, contact KC softball coach Amber Williams at (903) 983-8178, or at awilliams1@kilgore.edu.
KHS football seeks student filmers
If you’re a Kilgore High School student (that’s a must) and you love football, there’s a pretty good deal floating around out there. This is your chance to get involved.
The Bulldogs’ coaching staff is seeking current KHS students to help them film practices and games, both on Thursday nights (freshmen and junior varsity) and Friday’s varsity games.
Students who accept will be a member of the team and travel with the Ragin’ Red. They’re also eligible to gain a letterman in the process.
If you’re interested, reach out to coach Mason McCormack at mmcormack@kisd.org.
Meet the Pirates is July 31
Pine Tree fans can come out and Meet the Pirates (and it states varsity teams, so likely not just football, but at least volleyball, as well) on Thursday, July 31, at Pirate Center. The school district also plans to have fine arts performances that night. It all begins at 6:30 p.m.
Overton volleyball parent meeting
A meeting is set for Overton High School volleyball parents Thursday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. at the gym. This is for parents of players entering ninth through 12th grades that plan to play volleyball this school year. For questions, email coach Kolebi Spikes at kolebi.spikes@overtonisd.org.
Decals With Dads, Dinner With Moms at Troup
A couple of important dates to remember: The Troup Tigers’ varsity football annual dinner with moms is set for Saturday, Aug. 16, at 6 p.m. at the high school cafeteria, and dads, Decals with Dads (which I’m thinking involves the placement of helmet stickers) is on Wednesday, Aug. 27, also at the cafeteria.
Beckville football camp next week
Hey, another of our new schools, Beckville High, is hosting its annual football camp, a two-day camp on July 23-24, there at R.C. Beauchamp Stadium on campus.
Camp is for kids who have completed first through eighth grades and is set for 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. on both days. Registration is $45 and includes instruction and a camp T-shirt.
The camp focuses on fundamentals of football, including offense and defense, and special teams skills.
Checks can be mailed (if you hurry) to Beckville Athletics at P.O. Box 37, Beckville, TX, 75631.
Arp camp next week, too
Arp High School is also hosting a football camp next week, at Bill Herrington Tiger Stadium. The camp is July 23-24, and it’s for incoming seventh, eighth and ninth graders, from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. both days. The camp is being conducted at no cost for the kids.
Carthage ISD taking Hall of Honor nominees
One of our programs new to ETBlitz.com is Carthage High School, and Carthage is accepting nominations for its athletics Hall of Honor, right now.
Nominations should be submitted with a photo and a letter that states their credentials for potential induction, any awards they’ve won and citizenship and community involvement, or other information that the person submitting the nomination deems relevant. Nominations are due by Aug. 1, and need to be submitted online here: CHS Athletic Hall of Honor Nomination Form.
Meet the Buckeyes, August 9
Gilmer High School’s annual Meet the Buckeyes kickoff party is set for Saturday, August 9, a 6 p.m. start at Jeff Traylor Stadium. Come out, meet the 2025 Gilmer High School football team and coaches, have supper and all kinds of treats. Vendors will be on hand and there’s even face-painting, although I would encourage you to maybe not plan to get your face painted on Aug. 9 for the season opener. Maybe get it re-painted before then.
Coach Alan Metzel and the Buckeyes’ first preseason scrimmage is just a few days later, at home on Friday, Aug. 15, against Paris.
Become a KC athletics sponsor
Here’s a great opportunity for your business to be promoted, and support Kilgore College athletics at the same time.
Kilgore College athletics has tiered sponsorship packages for the 2025-26 school year:
- A $1,500 package that includes mentions during broadcasts of KC sports, on either live-streaming or radio; placement of an ad for your business on the team’s schedule posters (football, men’s and women’s basketball teams and softball); a rotating banner ad on the college’s athletic site, kcrangernation.com (click here to be directed: Kilgore College), including your business’s logo and a link to its website; flag sponsorship at the KC Athletics Hall of Fame Golf Tournament in October; ads in the football program throughout the season; and two reserved tickets to all home football and basketball games, as well as passes to all softball games at home.
- A $750 package that includes the rotating banner ad on the KC athletics website; a hole sponsorship sign at the hall of fame golf tourney; and the passes to all KC games.
- A $300 banner ad sponsorship of the KC athletics website, with the business logo and link included.
To become a sponsor, fill out the sponsorship form here (KC Athletics Sponsorship-2025-2026.pdf), and return the form and payment for the package you choose to Kilgore College Athletic Department, c/o Courtney Pruitt, Athletic Director, 1100 Broadway, Kilgore, TX 75662. To speak with public information director Chris Craddock about ads and logos, email him at ccraddock@kilgore.edu.
