This was not your typical Coach of the Year honor. While it’s not much of a surprise to those who are familiar with the T.L. Hanna tennis program, the season it preceded was extraordinary.

Sandy Thompson, Hanna’s only tennis coach for the last quarter century, picked up her third S.C. Athletic Coaches Association Tennis Coach of the Year honor earlier this week at the annual coaches clinic in Charleston.

“This is by far the biggest,” Thompson said. “I don’t know who nominated me, but they’ll never realize how much this means to me.”

On the surface, it seems this season was another in a long line of region championships for the Yellow Jackets. But when cancer became a part of the season, tennis gave Thompson something to keep her mind off of doctors’ visits and tests.

The first day of practice, though, Thompson went in for a checkup, no big deal, but the doctor found something no one was looking for. Further tests came back “a little high” and an oncologist said surgery couldn’t be put off.

“We have to have this done now,” the doctor said.

“No,” Thompson said. “We could not have this done before we play Wren.”

Typical coach. Always thinking about the schedule, and how it relates to playoff positioning — and the program’s region title defense — that not even cancer surgery could put up a roadblock.

So they scheduled the surgery for the day after the Wren match (a victory). And for three weeks, Thompson turned the coaching over to longtime sidekick John Croslin. And even though the team lost to perennial power Lexington in the third round, the season was a smashing success.

And Thompson beamed Sunday night when she accepted her award during a five-hour banquet that featured a $40 a plate dinner.

That’s why Thompson’s already looking forward to another season. Tryouts begin at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 5 at Cobb’s Glen, and the coach is looking forward to welcoming a talented crop of seventh graders to keep the region dynasty in tact. …

Take a sigh of relief, football fans. Today’s the day you’ve been waiting all summer to arrive. It’s the first official day of practice for high school teams across the state. While full pads aren’t allowed until Tuesday, and first scrimmages aren’t until Thursday, today is akin to Christmas Day and National Signing Day on the calendar.

It’s time for coaches and trainers to preach about heat and hydration. They’ll tell players to avoid pizza, fast food, tea, and sodas. And load up on water, sports drinks, and even pickle juice to combat cramps.

Teams have hopscotched the Southeast to play in 7-on-7 passing league camps since early June. Now they can put 11 men in formation and take that first baby step toward a trip to the Weekend of Champions at Clemson Dec. 5-6. Week 0 is only three weeks away, and I can already hear those coaches talking about running out of preparation time.