In Oklahoma, hydration is front and center for high school football practice

With football practice beginning to take the field over the last two weeks, states such as Oklahoma are putting a greater emphasis not just on proper hydration but smart practice habits.

Three days out of the next nine days in Oklahoma are forecasted to be in the triple digits. The lowest forecasted temperature is 93 degrees.

It’s a hot —and dangerous —time for student-athletes hitting the practice field.

Oklahoma is utilizing a blend of common sense and technology to maximize safe practices for its athletes.

Jason Cox is the assistant athletic trainer for the Mustang Public Schools (Mustang, Oklahoma). He told KFOR in Oklahoma that they are actively utilizing and tracking conditions using a ‘wet bulb globe temperature.’

If that sounds like something Cox made up, well, it isn’t. It is, in fact, a very accurate way for athletic trainers and officials to monitor athletes’ conditions.

The National Weather Service said that the ‘wet bulb globe temperature‘ is “a measure of the heat stress in direct sunlight, which takes into account: temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover (solar radiation).”

These data points can help an athletic trainer or a coach determine not just hydration, but also what are the best practice activities given the conditions.

For instance, on Monday this week, Cox said the football team practiced in helmets with no pads to reduce physical stress and impact. And, practice was held in the evening in an effort to avoid mid-day heat.

“When you train appropriately and get acclimated to the heat according to the guidelines that are set forth you can help your performance later on in the season when it’s still hot,” Cox told KFOR.