Today’s the day!!!

Yes, today, Saturday, Aug. 1 starts it all.

Fall sports begin this morning and it sets in motion a sports calendar in Ohio that won’t come to a halt until next June.

But before the Shadyside’s Lady Tigers can entertain any thoughts about repeating as Division IV softball champions, there are a few football, volleyball, golf, cross country, girls’ tennis and soccer teams that would like to get their hands on some gold hardware in a few months.

Today is when the New Year’s Baby should really make an appearance. After all, this is really when the year gets started.

In less than four weeks, the greats of the high school gridiron will burst through the tunnel for the first time, accompanied by the bands, cheerleaders and all the pageantry that goes along with it.

Before that, though, the other sports get things going, all started with ”media days” – the annual rite of summer where athletes stand before the cameras and have their faces reproduced for all eternity.

From there, there’s a few weeks of practices (or, in the case of golf, just five days), supplemented with the occasional scrimmage before the real action begins.

Golfers can hit the links Thursday, followed by girls’ tennis on Friday. Soccer teams can hit the field Friday, Aug. 21, with volleyball teams permitted to open the next day.

In an effort to boost soccer’s footprint in the Buckeye State, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has created ”Friday Night Futbol.” Presented by the Columbus Crew SC, the aim of the event, is threefold, according to Jerry Snodgrass, an OHSAA Association Commissioner and administrator for the sport.

The main goal, though, is give soccer a boost one week before King Football returns in earnest.

St. Clairsville’s Red Devil Stadium will play host to a twinbill that night. The Red Devil boys will welcome John Marshall at 5, with the girls battling East Liverpool immediately after.

At Steubenville’s Harding Stadium, Big Red’s girls will face Harrison Central at 6 p.m.

Harding Stadium will also be the site of the Ohio Valley’s two opening varsity football games. Cleveland JFK visits Head Coach Reno Saccoccia’s bunch at 5:30 p.m., followed by Toronto and Wellsville.

A handful of area cross country squads will compete in the OHSAA Early Season Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 15. But the season kicks into full gear a week later with a plethora of events slated, headlined by the Claymont Early Bird.

With the golf season teeing off first, its the first sport to play for an OVAC championship – Sept. 15 and 17 at Oglebay Park’s Crispin (1A, 2A, 3A) and Jones (4A, 5A) courses. Ohio sectional golf takes place the first week of October, as does sectional girls’ tennis.

The OVAC Cup soccer tournament takes place one week after the golf tournament – Sept. 21-24 – with the finals slated for Saturday, Sept. 26 at Wheeling Island Stadium (girls) and St. Clairsville (boys). Sectional soccer kicks off the week of Oct. 19.

Two weeks after the OVAC Cup concludes, the Cal Pokas OVAC Cross Country Championships step off at Meadowbrook High School. Those races signify the end of regular-season action for area harriers and the beginning of the journey toward the state meet, set for Saturday, Nov. 7 in Hebron.

OVAC volleyball takes center stage Tuesday, Oct. 13, with its tournament semifinals. All championship matches will be played that Saturday, Oct. 17, at Steubenville High’s Crimson Center.

The icing on the fall sports cake begins Friday, Nov. 6 when the state’s football playoffs begin with Division 2, 3, 5 and 7 teams playing regional quarterfinal games. Teams in Divisions 1, 4 and 6 open the postseason the next night.

Everything culminates in Columbus Dec. 3-5 with the seven state championships at Ohio Stadium.

So, whatever your sport of choice, sit back and enjoy the ride. There’s bound to plenty of memorable stops for everyone.

Thorp can be reached at rthorp@timesleaderonline.com