High school football teams hit the gridiron, battle the heat

When temperatures hit triple digits, the last thing on most Plano residents' to-do lists is go outside and exercise strenuously.

However, for the handful of athletes who play high school football, remaining inside in the air conditioning is not an option because of the rapidly approaching season. Scrimmages begin in less than two weeks and the first games are played the weekend of Aug. 31, giving coaches little time to prepare their players for the rigors of high school football.

While the oppressive Texas heat is showing no signs of waning, coaches at local programs have found ways to safely cope with the heat.

"Last year we went to morning practices with small breaks during the first week of practice," said Plano West coach Mike Hughes, whose team begins practice Aug. 13. "The second week is when school starts so we will be doing afternoon practices. We have two full-time trainers and the coaches are experienced and can look in a kid's eyes and tell when they need a break."

Dr. Michael Landers, a sports medicine physician with Texas Orthopaedic Associates in Plano, said properly acclimating to the heat and staying hydrated will help prevent heat illness and heat stroke.

In addition to drinking water, paying attention to what other drinks are consumed is also important, Landers said.

"If you are outside for less than 90 minutes and are not doing any heavy physical exertion you can get by with plain water," he said. "But if you are sweating more, it is good to replace some of the electrolytes like potassium and sodium, which will help reduce the cramping risk and help your body utilize the fluids better."

Landers recommended drinking half water and half sports drink in order to keep the body property hydrated. While sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade are beneficial, Landers said energy drinks can cause athletes to overheat during workouts.

"A lot of kids are taking caffeine and other supplements such as 5-hour Energy that increase your body's metabolism," he said. "That builds up your internal body heat, which can then be exacerbated by the external heat."

At Prestonwood Christian Academy, coach Chris Cunningham and his staff take a slightly different approach than their counterparts at West. PCA began practice Aug. 6 with evening practices filled with multiple breaks and rest periods.

"We feel that by working out in the evening and taking breaks, we are getting used to the heat but we are not out in it so much that we are having any problems," said Cunningham, whose Lions' squads won state titles in 2009 and 2010. "It has really worked out well for us and we are happy that at the end of practice the kids still feel good and have a lot of energy."

The Lions practice for about three hours a day, but about one hour of that time is spent resting, Cunningham said. In addition to a 30-minute air-conditioned break during the middle of practice, players are forced to take breaks under shaded tents which feature misters. Staying on the field and continuing to practice during breaks, Cunningham said, is not allowed.

The team's trainers also play a crucial role in keeping the players safe, helping ensure the players stay hydrated by utilizing a common household item: the bathroom scale.

"We weigh our players before and after every practice to keep track of what is going on as far as their hydration," he said. "Our trainer is constantly checking those charts to see if there is any abnormal weight loss due to fluid loss. We also make a practice of having the coaches and trainers circulate among the players during breaks to make sure no one is having any issues they are not telling us about."

Even with athletes having access to water and shade during practice, staying safe during practice is a 24-hour a day responsibility.

"When kids get to this level they know that nutrition and hydration are so important, that they are going to drink water throughout the day," Hughes said, adding that the team had a nutritionist work with players during the summer. "They know what they have to do to take care of themselves."

Landers agreed, adding that pre-hydration is required to safely exercise. He advised drinking a liter of fluid an hour before practice, and then continuing to drink fluids during and after practice to remain hydrated. Landers did, however, caution against drinking large amounts of water or sports drink immediately prior to practice, saying that if that is all a person did as far as hydrating they would likely throw up the fluid while exercising.

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