The Jaime Ramirez era in Portales is about to begin.

Ramirez, hired in March as the Rams’ new football coach, will lead his team into two-a-days beginning on Monday at the PHS practice field.

“I’m hoping we’re get anywhere from 60-80 kids out,” he said.

The Rams will practice in shorts and helmets from 6:30-8 a.m., then watch film and return to the practice field from 8:30-10 a.m. They will lift weights for about a half-hour after that, he said.

Beginning Thursday, the Rams will go in pads from 6-7:30 a.m. and from 5-7 p.m.

PHS will scrimmage the Eunice varsity and the Clovis junior varsity at its practice field on Aug. 24, beginning at 5 p.m. The season opener is Aug. 31 at Las Vegas Robertson.

Ramirez said he’s in the process of getting to learn his players.

“We did some 7-on-7s this summer,” he said. “We had a decent turnout, but I haven’t seen all the kids.”

By New Mexico Activities Association rule, the remaining PHS fall sports won’t be able to officially begin practice until Aug. 13 —  although all of them will be in action before the football opener.

The defending Class 1A-3A runnerup boys soccer team and the girls soccer team have team camps scheduled next week. Both will start regular practices on Aug. 14, the first day of school.

The boys went 18-3 last season, losing in the state championship to Sandia Prep 3-1.

“It’ll be a lot like a practice,” Rams coach Brian Kirchner said. “We just can’t make it mandatory.”

The PHS volleyball team, which went 16-9 and lost to Pojoaque in the Class 3A championship match last fall for the third consecutive season, plans to open practice on Aug. 13 with conditioning work and running before going into the gym for about three hours, starting at 9 a.m. The following day, the Lady Rams will switch to a normal after-school workout.

Coach Ruth Chavez, beginning her 26th year at the school, has led the Lady Rams to four state championships and four runnerup finishes since taking over as hear coach in 2001.