I'm sitting here watching Arizona host St. Johns in super regional play, and can't help but think how they'd never be able to play the game if these were Kentucky high schools.

 

I know it generally doesn't come into play until late in our season, but seems like an adjustment is needed for baseball as compared to football.

I'm sitting here watching Arizona host St. Johns in super regional play, and can't help but think how they'd never be able to play the game if these were Kentucky high schools.

 

I know it generally doesn't come into play until late in our season, but seems like an adjustment is needed for baseball as compared to football.

 

You won't say this when that first kid drops on the field cause he/she is too hot.

You won't say this when that first kid drops on the field cause he/she is too hot.

 

Everyone's aware of the instances of trouble with football, but has there been an issue with a KY baseball player to date?

Everyone's aware of the instances of trouble with football, but has there been an issue with a KY baseball player to date?

 

Football/baseball it doesn't matter, kids are still outside in the heat.

Football/baseball it doesn't matter, kids are still outside in the heat.

 

So they shouldn't go outside then?

 

I know what you are tying to say with this but I just don't see it. It's baseball, it is mainly played in he hottest portion of the year and there is no avoiding that. However we can't play high school games that early in the morning or that late into the night. I'd rather the KHSAA make the kids drink 2 bottles of water that all the coaches must supervise they drink instead of the current rule they have.

Football/baseball it doesn't matter, kids are still outside in the heat.

 

Sure it matters. You're in a lot more equipment to make it even worse in football.

Yep the difference is the equipment plus there is shade in the dugout. No place to get out of the sun on a football side line. Football players stand pretty much the entire game and baseball players can sit in the dugout every half inning. But that said temps still need to be watched closely during baseball and softball tourneys, absolutely no reason to take any chances. As a parent of a past football player and a future softball player, I would rather they always err on the side of caution.

Catchers and pitcher are pretty susceptible due to their level of activity during the game. Having once been hit by the heat in my youth during a baseball game I have suffered with the results of that for the past 40 years. Keep the rule in place.

I can see both sides of this however, in a state like Texas they have no heat rule. I was just down there this past week and they were playing state baseball in temperatures of 94 - 96 with a humidity of 80 - 90%. They also do not have it in football to my knowledge either, however, in Texas they also mandate each school has an athletic trainer, I think this is where you see the difference. What do these kids do during summer ball? Do they stop playing when they are in National tournaments? I do not think so.

I can see both sides of this however, in a state like Texas they have no heat rule. I was just down there this past week and they were playing state baseball in temperatures of 94 - 96 with a humidity of 80 - 90%. They also do not have it in football to my knowledge either, however, in Texas they also mandate each school has an athletic trainer, I think this is where you see the difference. What do these kids do during summer ball? Do they stop playing when they are in National tournaments? I do not think so.

 

I think one thing to consider in states located in the deep south and or southwestern section of our Country, is they are a bit more use to the heat or at least a bit more accustomed to the heat. Take that same kid from the deep south or southwest and have them play a game without a chance to get accustomed to the change in the weather and put them in upper New York or Maine heck even in our own NKy area on a normal (at least what has been normal in the past with wet, windy and cold) and see him freeze to death in an early spring game!

 

We live in time when AC is the norm and not the exception. Heck I am old enough to remember the only building in my home town that had AC was the corner drug store. You went out side to get out of the house and the heat inside the house and played where there was at least a nice breeze blowing. Heck in my old home town we had a very nice baseball field but us kids played pickup games out in deep center field where their was some shade from the trees and no adults had to tell us that it was better for us, it was plain old common sense that told us that it was nicer in the shade playing baseball, than on the sandy infield under the hot sun of the day!

 

Then again back in the day, we played more baseball games then any of the kids do today! Yes they were pick up games amongst us kids and not the adult sanctioned leagues that most kids play in today but with the sheer number of kids wanting to play a game, you had to be pretty good to get chosen to play as amongst the kids, there was no PC world to let little Jimmy or Billy play, unless little Jimmy or Billy were indeed good enough to play!

I think one thing to consider in states located in the deep south and or southwestern section of our Country, is they are a bit more use to the heat or at least a bit more accustomed to the heat. Take that same kid from the deep south or southwest and have them play a game without a chance to get accustomed to the change in the weather and put them in them upper New York or Maine heck even in our own NKy area on a normal (at least what has been normal in the past with wet, windy and cold) and see him freeze to death in an early spring game!

 

We live in time when AC is the norm and not the exception. Heck I am old enough to remember the only building in my home town that had AC was the corner drug store. You went out side to get out of the house and the heat inside the house and played where there was at least a nice breeze blowing. Heck in my old home town we had a very nice baseball field but us kids played pickup games out in deep center field where their was some shade from the trees and no adults had to tell us that it was better for us, it was plain old common sense that told us that it was nicer in the shade playing baseball, than on the sandy infield under the hot sun of the day!

 

Then again back in the day, we played more baseball games then any of the kids do today! Yes they were pick up games amongst us kids and not the adult sanctioned leagues that most kids play in today but with the sheer number of kids wanting to play a game, you had to be pretty good to get chosen to play and amongst the the kids, there was no PC world to let little Jimmy or Billy play, unless little Jimmy or Billy were indeed good enough to play!

 

You maybe right but to me all it is a bunch of excuses. I just feel like we as a society are allowing kids the easy way out of things. There are ways to get kids acclimated to weather and if they cannot handle being outside for a total of 3 hours (warm-up and game) with proper hydration is quite ridiculous in my opinion and I am in the sports medicine profession. There are WAYS to cool yourself down and to keep yourself hydrated. Cut the soft drinks, fruit juices, sweet teas and energy drinks out of your diet and DRINK WATER and SOME Gatorade. Eat more fruits and vegetables and cut out the fried and fast foods.

 

Like I said before I think we make it easy on the kids at times. I can understand for football but for baseball and softball I do not agree with this.

You maybe right but to me all it is a bunch of excuses. I just feel like we as a society are allowing kids the easy way out of things. There are ways to get kids acclimated to weather and if they cannot handle being outside for a total of 3 hours (warm-up and game) with proper hydration is quite ridiculous in my opinion and I am in the sports medicine profession. There are WAYS to cool yourself down and to keep yourself hydrated. Cut the soft drinks, fruit juices, sweet teas and energy drinks out of your diet and DRINK WATER and SOME Gatorade. Eat more fruits and vegetables and cut out the fried and fast foods.

 

 

Like I said before I think we make it easy on the kids at times. I can understand for football but for baseball and softball I do not agree with this.

 

Kids today are "too pampered". This was not an issue when I played back in the 80's. Our society has become to litigious and thus these rules are the result.

Don't forget about the umpire. They don't have the opportunity to take off their equipment between innings. There's no comparison between a baseball umpire and a football referee. They can get over-heated rather easily.

Just because it was done in the past make it right today. I have suffered from heat exhaustion when I was in high school working in tobacco. I didn't want to leave the field because I didn't want to be thought of as weak. To this day it affects me some. I can't stay in the heat as long.

 

So these rules are not silly. They are there to protect against unneccesary risks. I watch rec leagues have practice in upper 90 temps and just cringe. Some outside teams will practice on our fields at the school from time to time but I will not let them if the heat index is too high. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

It is not being weak but smart.

I would say the heat rule is not as important for baseball as it is for football. In a baseball game, there is a chance to constantly hydrate, sit in the shade of the dugout, and the catchers can remove their gear in between innings. While in a football game, the players are pretty much stuck in the heat, and cant remove their gear, with the exception of the helmet. I think the rule says that if it's over 100* that a water break is required every 30 minutes. Well, in a baseball game, this is done in any weather due to the changing of the innings. I would like to see the KHSAA amend it's rule for certain sports, but I don't see that happening any time soon.