By BJ Austin, KERA News & Wire Services
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-980117.mp3
Dallas, TX – High School football players across North Texas are in their first week of two-a-day practices. And it's the hottest week so far this summer, with an "excessive heat warning." KERA's BJ Austin reports.
Dr. Steven Harris, Dallas County Medical Director says heat is the #1 weather-related killer in the U.S., causing more annual deaths than floods, lightning, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined. And he says this first week is a critical time for the players.
Harris: It's important for coaches to give their players plenty of rest, especially if they're new to working in the heat. Once you've become acclimated to working outside, or being outside, your body does get relatively used to some of the challenges. But early on, frequent breaks, get into the shade to rest and plenty of water.
Renee Putter, Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District Athletic Director says that's exactly what coaches and players are doing. Mandatory water breaks every ten minutes. And that means five minutes of resting in the shade as well as drinking water. She says coaches know many of the players aren't used to this heat and take it slow.
Putter: A lot of kids have been sedentary all June and July, inside in air conditioning, maybe playing video games instead of being outside acclimating themselves to the weather.
Putter says the trainers look for a series of things that could indicate problems with the heat.
Putter: We weigh them at the beginning of practice and then we weigh them at the end of practice. And if there's a percentage of body weight that they've lost, they're out. Because that means they haven't been hydrating themselves and that just aids to their risk of heat illness.
Putter says that means they'll sit out the next practice. Some high schools are practicing at 6am and again at 6pm. Carrollton Farmers Branch schedules two practices between 6:30 and 11:30 am - trying to beat the heat.