CIF places new guidelines on student athletes practicing in the heat

Practice times may look different for some student athletes across Southern California.

"We need to make sure our athletes are used to the temperatures in a given area and prepare to practice and play safely for those areas they're living in," said Mike West, CIF director of athletics for the Southern Section.

The California Interscholastic Federation is implementing new rules this year aimed at protecting athletes from the extreme heat. The new guidelines state that schools must schedule outdoor practice during cooler times like early morning or late evening. They also require schools to postpone or cancel practice during extreme heat.

"I think it's a great rule," said former student athlete Benjamin Vassrat. "The concern is overheating and you can pass out if you're not hydrated enough but it's still good to practice in the heat."

"It makes sense because obviously it's safety," said student athlete Ryaan Khuwaja. "We have morning practice so it's not as bad but obviously it affects us."

July 2024 was hottest month in Death Valley history

Death Valley is always hot in July, of course. But this past July was the hottest ever recorded in history.

It's all based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature device, which takes into account factors such as humidity, wind and sun angle. If the number gets too high for a given area, practice will be canceled.

"Rules like this have actually gone into effect across the country. The state of California wants to make sure we're taking care of our athletes the same as everyone else," said West.

As practices are pushed earlier in the morning or later in the evening, this means a big impact to parents.

"It's going to provide inconveniences for different teams and different schools in different areas. It doesn't mean it's going to be there forever though," said West. "We're asking them to keep track of their data, provide it to us and the state is working with climatologists to refine what our numbers are."

The new rules also place guidance around the Air Quality Index (AQI) and having emergency plans in place.