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Sunday, Aug. 07, 2011
Teams take precautions in the heat
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closeHigh school football is not usually considered to be a water sport, but it will be for the next month or so as coaches and trainers preach the importance of staying hydrated in the heat.
Trainers basically will rule practices as they tell coaches what activities can be safely performed. Most teams plan to be off the fields before 11 a.m. each day.
Millbrook coach Clarence Inscore said that when he played, "there were no guidelines. It was almost taboo to have water. Now we can't hold practice unless a certified athletic trainer is present.
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The National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury recommends:
1. Require every participant to have a physical exam with a medical history. The NCHSAA requires each player to have a physical exam within the last 365 days.
2. Acclimate athletes to heat gradually. The NCHSAA requires players to work out without full gear during the first five days of practice.
3. Coaches and trainers should be aware of the heat and the humidity. Trainers are encouraged to use a sling psychrometer, which helps gauge humidity, and alter practices according to conditions.
4. Adjust activity level and provide frequent rest periods.
5. Water always should be available in unlimited quantities. Athletes should drink water before, during and after practice.
6. Athletes should replace salt daily, but salt tablets should not be used.
7. Athletes should weigh in before and after practice. A 2 to 3 percent loss in total body weight through sweating generally is safe, but a 5 percent loss is in the danger zone.
8. Avoid long sleeves, long stockings and excess clothing. Never use rubberized clothing.
9. Athletes who are not acclimated to the heat or who are overweight or who have had heat-related problems in the past should be watched closely.
10. If heat illness is suspected, seek a physician's help immediately.
National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury
"There are a lot of precautions and restraints we didn't have a few years ago. But if it saves one kid, it's worth it.
"During the summer workouts we went at 7 a.m. too to stay away from the heat and thunderstorms. I took the readings then."
One key is to go to practice well-hydrated. Trainers will stress that players drink even if they are not thirsty. Players are expected to take water breaks at practice every 20 to 30 minutes, more often in extreme heat, especially important during this summer of triple-digit temperatures.
During the first few days of workouts, trainers at all the schools keep a close eye on all the players but watch prospects who are overweight or the overachievers especially closely.
Correspondent David Justice contributed to this report.
tim.stevens@nando.com or 919-829-8910
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