Student-athletes across Texas have started practice for fall sports, but this weekend, much of the state will still be under triple-digit heat. The National Weather Service has an excessive heat warning covering North and East Texas, including Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton Counties; a heat advisory stretches from the Panhandle to the Gulf Coast.
The University Interscholastic League has updated guidelines for student-athletes and band members in hot weather. Guidelines follow recommendations by the American College of Sports Medicine based on heat and humidity levels.
The "wet bulb" temperature takes into account temperature, humidity, direct sunlight, sun angle and cloud cover. In North Texas, when the wet bulb temperature is below 82, normal activities are allowed with three rest breaks of at least three minutes required each hour.
As temperature and humidity increase, restrictions increase to include limits on practice time, rest breaks must increase in frequency and duration, and equipment that can be worn is limited.
When the wet bulb temperature reaches 89.8, no outdoor workouts are allowed.
Some high schools in Dallas ISD started scrimmages Thursday night; others will have their first scrimmage this weekend. When football teams started practice earlier this month, the district invited reporters to North Dallas High School.
"Our coaches have been good about limiting us and not keeping us out here too late," one player said. "But we've been out here all summer running. We're used to it."
"Every day, I know I'm drinking about a gallon and a half [of water]," another said. "We work out in the weightroom every day, build up muscles and keep our bodies healthy. We get in the cafeteria before every practice, get some food in us, stay hydrated, weigh in, weigh out, see what our hydration's like."
When the wet bulb temperature reaches 84.7 degrees, practices for all sports are limited to two hours, and athletes must be given four breaks of at least four minutes each hour. Football players are restricted to helmets, shoulder pads and shorts.
Football players cannot wear any protective equipment when the wet bulb temperature reaches 87.7. Practices for all athletes are limited to one hour, and they must include 20 minutes of rest breaks.
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