For the final two weeks of summer vacation, Maine’s high school athletes seek a balance of work hard, relax harder. Aug. 3-17 is the Maine Principals’ Association’s designated “hands-off” period, during which no formal practices or communication with coaches can take place. Here’s some of the ways athletes and coaches from different sports have approached their free time: Dirigo’s and Lewiston’s first-string quarterbacks are both juniors. As upperclassmen, they are expected to be leaders during the final two weeks before preseason practices start on Monday. They’re both spending extra time in the gym. Dirigo quarterback Hudson Lufkin said the Cougars do group lifts “pretty religiously.” “We got a couple of guys going to the gym every now and then, (and) we go throw a little bit,” Lufkin said. “Other than that, it’s pretty laid back, we’re all friends, we hang out, and we will go to the beach if we think it’s going to be a good day.” When Lufkin is ready to relax, he said he goes to Coos Canyon in Byron with some teammates. Lewiston QB Teagan Dugal likes to host pool parties with the Blue Devils at his house. Dugal likes the two schedule-free weeks to go to the gym by himself, and “lock in.” He also has organized a couple of casual practices with the other quarterbacks and wide receivers. “Anything to try and keep that chemistry there and stay in shape,” Dugal said. “If it’s going to hit the field, whether it’s not even something to do with football, whether we’re just running agility drills or just working out to stay in shape and keep the chemistry there.” Near the end of official summer practices, Lewiston coach Jason Versey organized an early morning workout for the team with the U.S. Marines. While physically grueling, Dugal said the lessons on mental toughness and togetherness have had lasting impacts during the hands-off period. FIELD HOCKEY Field hockey is the main sport for Mt. Ararat sophomore Kamryn Chase and Mt. Blue senior Kali Judkins. Both teams stacked their summer schedule with practices and play days, so these two weeks are the perfect wind down. Chase said this isn’t entirely free time for the Eagles. The team gathered to organize the Drive Out Cancer field hockey tournament and planned a car wash fundraiser. Players are working out on their own time, but these two weeks are perfect for last of summer family vacations. That can be complicated, though, because her mom, Krista Chase, is Mt. Ararat’s head coach. The two went on a family vacation to Delaware that included beach days in the sun and family dinners out. Kamryn said she also enjoyed going for long runs on the beach. She and her mom try to not discuss field hockey. “Sometimes we still aren’t clear on the rules,” Kamryn Chase said. “If I wanted to go to the turf, could she be there? We try to just separate so we don’t break any rules, and so I can just go on my own and do my own stuff.” One thing the two did get to plan together is the team’s midnight practice, which allows the Eagles to get on the practice field the minute the hands-off period ends. Monday will be the first time the Eagles have taken part in this tradition. Mt. Blue practiced three to four teams each week, with a few games sprinkled in, before the hands-off period began. Judkins’ aim for her final high school summer was to improve her dodging, stamina and strength. She’s used the hands-off period to perfect her skills, set goals for the season and relax — her favorite spots include Old Orchard and Popham Beach along Maine’s coastline. “There’s a majority of us who do take the time to rest and relax after, because a lot of stuff goes on in the summer,” Judkins said. “A lot of us took the time to rest and relax and a lot of people plan vacations during these two weeks, because it’s the only time we have off.” Falmouth girls soccer coach Ben Johnson and Greely boys coach Mike Andreasen know these two short weeks are crunch time before their work-life balance goes out the window. Johnson spends time with family, completes projects around the house and organizes his work schedule around his soccer responsibilities. “My whole thing in high school has been finding the balance between working hard and not getting burnt out too soon, and it’s only gotten better every year,” Johnson said. “I’m just looking forward to hopefully continuing that this year, and getting the girls excited to be in the playoffs and not ready for the season to end, come playoffs.” The Falmouth players start their self-run summer fitness program around the Fourth of July, which Johnson said helps set the expectation for the upcoming season. He takes a more laid back approach before the hands-off period, and said as long as the players complete their training runs in the offseason, he knows they’ll be prepared come preseason. Andreasen said he knows he should use this time to rest, but he can’t help loading his schedule with more soccer. During the first week of the hands-off period, he ran the Cumberland Soccer Club’s summer camp with nearly 200 kids ages 8-13. “It was nice because obviously we can’t coach our own kids, so we took on the youth,” Andreasen said. “This week was supposed to be a true vacation week, if you could do that, but having a vacation before soccer season is not a very wise idea … it’s something every day, and it’s as busy as the summer.” But, he doesn’t want his players to follow suit. “You really need the time to let your hair down, refuel, refocus,” Andreasen said. “I’ve had kids go to the (upper-level) camps, I think they get them ready, but I think what it does many times is it’s going to wear them out. I’m hoping they’re going to the beach, I’m hoping they come home at night and kick the ball around a little bit, but for the most part, this time is for them to just enjoy themselves, get ready and we’ll hit it on Monday.”