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South Fort Myers High School football practice. (Credit: WINK News) Fall sports are back in Lee County. Volleyball games began Thursday night and football returns on Friday. The lights will be turned on again. The stands will be filled again, and teams all over Lee County are getting closer to playing again. As fall sports such as volleyball and football return, South Fort Myers High School senior lineman Raja Young is grateful he can still suit up with his teammates “Glad to know not everything is not really down the drain yet got a couple more games. I’m just ready to get back on the field,” said Young. That’s how the South Fort Myers football team feels. They’re one of three Lee County teams hosting a football game Friday as they face Fort Myers. Some on the team are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. “Three of our coaches, their homes flooded. Two of them are not here today because they’re dealing with things. We’ve got about five players who lost homes because of flooding or wind damage,” said Willis May Jr., the South Fort Myers High School head football coach. Off the field, it’s devastation and loss On the field, it’s about the love of the game and love for their teammates “Being with family, it just takes your mind off of extra stuff you don’t need,” said Joshua Dixon, a South Fort Myers High School offensive and defensive lineman. “They get away from seeing what their homes look like, what you know, get away from what their community looks like for a while. They can just come out here and be kids and play,” said May Jr. “Feel real happy to be out here with the teammates. Get to practice, go hard make each other better. And get ready for another Friday Night Lights,” said Young. It is giving the community a needed sense of normalcy Fall sports officially return on Thursday with the six volleyball matches listed below. East Lee at Gateway Ida Baker at Riverdale Lehigh at Gateway Charter Bonita Springs at Cypress Lake ECS at South Fort Myers Estero at Canterbury Friday Night Lights football games: Estero at Key West Charlotte at Lehigh Gateway at Bishop Verot Fort Myers at South Fort Myers Dunbar at Lowndes, Ga. Cypress Lake at East Lee Cross Country teams that are ready to return to action will compete at one of two meets on Saturday. Swim teams that are ready have a conference meet at FGCU on Saturday. As golf courses and bowling alleys open, competitions will be scheduled starting next week to prepare those two sports for district tournaments beginning October 24th. The school district started preparing student-athletes for a return to play with one-hour conditioning sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Practices started Monday, with increasing intensity each day. Schools, coaches and players that are not prepared to play are not required to.