Temperatures are reaching their summer peaks, climbing into the triple digits.
But hot weather hasn’t kept the Denison High School football team staying motivated during outdoor practices.
These athletes are outside longer than most people, and in such extreme heat, it can cause safety concerns. But this team says they have been preparing for the heat for months.
“We do a nutrition deal in the morning in the spring so they know how to hydrate, what to recognize when they start to get dehydrated and the risk of dehydration,” Denison head coach Chad Rogers said.
Athletic Trainer Kara Garrett said they also work on monitoring their intake. “We educate them on nutrition and make sure they’re eating right, drinking right, and getting the electrolytes that they need to,” she said.
They also limit outdoor practices to the mornings in the summer, before moving to cooled, indoor facilities in the afternoon.
“That’s been a huge asset that we’ve been able to keep them cool in the afternoons, but slowly get them acclimated,” Rogers said.
Finally the team’s trainers are always at practices to provide care if they see any signs of dehydration.
“If the coaches notice it, if the kids notice it, they get them directly to us, we get them inside, we get them cooled down as soon as possible so it’s not escalating past dehydration,” Garrett said.
While the triple digit temperatures can be uncomfortable, this team knows that outdoor practices are key in helping them succeed once the season kicks off.
“We have a scrimmage in a week,” Rogers said, “so if we don’t get acclimated to the heat, we ha ve to because it’s gonna be hot on those games.”
The team’s trainers want to remind everyone that drinking water is the easiest way to stay safe when it’s this hot outside.
But, make sure you start hydrating hours, or even an entire day, before outdoor activities and try to include beverages with potassium and electrolytes, like Gatorade, which will replace nutrients you lose when you sweat.
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