The first week of practice is officially a wrap for the De La Salle Pilots football program.

A perfect bow was put on it Saturday, with the school's annual Purple and Gold Day at St. John Baptist de La Salle Field. 

The day, featuring all three levels of football at De La Salle (freshman, junior varsity and varsity), consisted of the freshman and JV teams scrimmaging each other, along with an intrasquad scrimmage for the varsity team.

And most importantly, the parents, grandparents and other family members and friends of the student-athletes were able to take part in the day's festivities, which included grabbing lunch at the end of the day, via a tailgate in the DLS parking lot organized by the parents and families.

With over 1,000 past and current Pilots in attendance, along with their families and friends, De La Salle Athletic Director Dan Rohn believes that Saturday's Purple and Gold Day captured the very essence of the communal nature of the school.

"De La Salle is truly one big family, connecting current students with alums of the school, and that was on full display Saturday," Rohn said. "The support that athletics gets from alums, the parents of the student-athletes and other family members and friends of our students is immense, and there's no way we could thrive as a department without each and every single one of them. I hope that today's Purple and Gold Day served as a little token of our appreciation to them."

The Pilots will return to the practice field Monday, with the start of the 2021-22 school year on their minds. Classes resume Friday, Aug. 20, with a full day of school (8 a.m. - 2:24 p.m.).

Varsity football will kick off its season Friday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m., against Chicago St. Patrick at Wayne State's Tom Adams Field. The game is a part of the 2021 Xenith Prep Kickoff Classic, organized by the Detroit Sports Commission.

Meanwhile, freshman and junior varsity football each open up their seasons on the road against Lapeer on Wednesday, Aug. 25. Freshman football kicks off at 4:30 p.m., followed by the JV squad at 6 p.m.