KETTERING, Ohio — With temps in the mid 90s across the state, staying cool is a top priority for Ohioans. But for athletes practicing in the hot weather, they have to work harder to stay cool.
With the heat index hitting triple digits in southwest Ohio — high schools and their trainers are focused on keeping football players safe from heat exhaustion.
In Kettering, near Dayton, the Fairmont Firebirds have been working to improve their team with summer practice.
Because it’s so hot, they’re making changes to their practice plans.
“We’ll be watching film, doing some light running and some lifting,” Fairmont Coach Dave Miller said.
Miller said his team had a scrimmage Wednesday night, so keeping his guys fresh and safe is a big focus.
Which is all part of the plan Kettering Health’s trainers create for the teams.
“We always worry about the heat and we worry about the humidity how those kind of go hand in hand,” Kettering Health athletic trainer Erin Cane said. “We also worry about the surface or the environment that you’re in.”
Cane said in addition to the staff calling an audible when it comes to layers of padding at practice athletes have to prepare days in advance to handle practicing in the intense heat.
“You need to make sure you’re starting your water or Gatorade intake the night before, not just the day of,” Cane said. “And continuing it throughout till practice or game time that day.”
Kettering Health athletic trainer Dan Mueller echoed similar sentiments.
“When prepping for a game or a scrimmage, we always talk about you’re not hydrating for, you’re not preparing for Friday on Thursday, you’re preparing all week,” Mueller said.
Cane said proper nutrition is another important element.
“Nutrition is huge in high school athletics in general,” Cane said. “A lot of high school athletes do not eat well and they do not understand the significance of eating well.”
She recommended smaller meals frequently through the day for athletes, because proper nutrition and hydration also helps prevent injuries on the field.
“When your body is tired it can’t protect itself and it can’t use its muscles to their full capabilities to either keep the muscle from being injured, or to protect those joints that the muscles are helping to use and top function,” Cane said.
Mueller said awareness levels are more heightened now from years past when it comes to identifying signs of heat exhaustion from players themselves, trainers and coaches.
“It’s kind of gone away from the, ‘I’m just gonna power through this and I’m gonna be fine at the end of the day,’” Mueller said.
Miller said each one of the practices are important ahead of the season opener next week against rival opponent Alter, but keeping his team healthy and safe is the best game plan.
“Keeping these guys hydrated, making sure their nutrition is good, getting enough sleep,” Miller said. “We’re constantly harping on that.”
