Beating the heat

[woodsrider]

You can have all the water you want during practice but it won't make a bit of difference if the kid comes to practice dehydrated. When it's this hot the everyone will get dehydrated to a point. Your body can't replace the water loss that quicky. But if the kids are good and hydrated before practice starts then by drinking during practice you replace enough water loss to make it through. Combine that with a good diet and the heat should be that big of an issue. It sucks but players have been doing it for years. Weighting kids before and after practice is a good way for coaches to monitor the players intake. But keep in mind this can't be the only thing done. Plus if you expect a kid to not lose any weight I don't think you will have any kids left practicing. It would be almost impossible to go through 2-3 practices per day in this weather and not lose weight. But it shouldn't be more then a couple pounds per week. If someone is losing more then that they aren't eating and drinking properly.

 

The parents need to make sure their kids are drinking a minimum of 1 gallon of water every day when away from practice. When it's this hot I would probably make my kid drink more then that. Maybe 1 1/2 - 2 gallons. I drink a gallon a day and don't do near what these kids are doing.

 

Diet and hydration is the key, PERIOD. No junk food, no soda. Lots of clean carbs and protein, and no sugar.

[woodsrider]

Are there any high school teams out there who have tried misting fans? They're surprisingly inexpensive and are EXTREMELY effective at quick cool-down.

 

I definitely think every team should have cooling stations with misting fans and coolers of ice water with towel soaking in them.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

I definitely think every team should have cooling stations with misting fans and coolers of ice water with towel soaking in them.

 

ICE TOWELS....now there's something! I don't think I could have made it through two-a-days and the running program without them.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Colonels_Wear_Blue

[beverlybubba]

Are there any high school teams out there who have tried misting fans? They're surprisingly inexpensive and are EXTREMELY effective at quick cool-down.

 

The Cincinnati Zoo and King's Island has them for visitors. They work great.

[WHO'S NEXT?]

Hopefully getting a break in the heat wave just in time for week 0, still seasonably hot though through the end of August.