New CIF rules statewide regulate when high school teams can practice, play in extreme heat

SACRAMENTO -- Another heat wave impacting most of the Sacramento region starting Wednesday is expected to send temperatures soaring back above 100 degrees.

A new law went into effect in California on Jan. 1, 2024, requiring schools to have a "written emergency action plan" concerning medical emergencies like heat illness.

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) , the governing body for high school sports in the state, mandated new rules for athletes playing and practicing in extreme heat that are now in effect this year. The CIF says the changes were nearly unanimously voted for by school districts statewide.

"I think our coaches in the Sac-Joaquin section and statewide are a lot more aware of heat issues than ten years ago. The kids' safety is the number one priority here, without a doubt," said Will DeBoard, assistant commissioner for the CIF Sac-Joaquin section.

High school football is one of the sports impacted most by extreme heat. With the season now in full swing, teams are making the changes CIF has mandated for this season.

"If it gets into the red, we are completely off," said athletic trainer at Jesuit High School, Jay Nacionales, showing CBS13 the team's wet bulb globe thermometer reading.

The wet bulb globe thermometer is a game changer in high school sports across the state, with each CIF member school now required to have one and utilize it before each outdoor practice.

"Right now, we are in the yellow which means we are monitoring as needed but there is a mandatory four-minute water break every hour," Nacionales said at practice Tuesday afternoon.

The specialized thermometer measures ground and air temperature, humidity and wind to assess the risk of athletes being outside. It spits out a number ranking that corresponds to the new CIF rules.

Most of the Sac-Joaquin district, which covers 204 schools stretching from Merced to Yuba City, qualify as "category three" on the scale.

"So category three, if you go above 92.1 that is black, no outdoor workouts period," said DeBoard.

The 92.1 ranking is not the outside temperature, DeBoard emphasized. Instead, it's the number the wet bulb globe thermometer calculates factoring in other elements of the day's weather conditions.

A number that lands in the orange or red categories means added mandatory restrictions from extra water breaks to shorter practices to taking off helmets and pads and even rescheduling.

"What we've seen schools do especially for Friday nights when games are happening, they are starting games later. JV maybe is not happening or maybe JV is happening Thursday late," Deboard said. "Ultimately, schools are going to need to determine, if we are in the red are they going to be playing under these limitations or wait an hour and maybe things get better or even wait a day."

As far as this week's heat wave is concerned, DeBoard expects impacts.

"Certainly, I can see it hitting the orange for sure. That would mean practice time is limited, game time is limited," DeBoard said.

Jesuit High School's athletic director said Tuesday they are already bracing for the incoming heat.

"Today and tomorrow's practice is probably going to have to be pushed back a little later," AD Hank Weinberger said.

This season, for the first time, the Jesuit marauders are actually able to practice and play at night thanks to the school finally getting lights at their football field.

"Luckily, we have stadium lights now that we can utilize the lights to push our practices until 8 o'clock to make sure we get a practice in, but staying out of the hottest time of the day," said Weinberger.

Read the new CIF rules on their website.