Despite the triple digit heat indices, high school football teams around Southeast Louisiana are still practicing outdoors. For coaching staffs, player safety is the top priority during these summer workouts.
J. T. Curtis is entering his 53rd year as the head coach of the John Curtis Christian School's football squad. He says players today are used to being in constant air conditioning, making the need to acclimate to Louisiana's stifling heat and humidity necessary.
"The key is to understand that you have to acclimate to the weather," Curtis said. "You simply cannot hibernate inside and workout in an air conditioned weight room and then expect to go outside and perform with any degree of proficiency at all."
According to Curtis, the acclimation process starts with eating the right foods and drinking enough water well before practice begins.
"They can't wait to drink eight ounces of water an hour before practice and expect to be hydrated," Curtis says. "They have to take care of that business the night before."
Still, Curtis says he and other coaches across the state work in regular hydration breaks during practice to ensure players are getting enough water.
"The important thing, we feel like, is to make sure we have designated designed water breaks every 30 to 40 minutes," Curtis said. "Then we have water that's available in squeeze bottles squeeze bottles by each group as they work."
Louisiana High School Athletic Association rules limit how long teams may practice during the summer.
"For instance, if you're in two-a-day practices, then you cannot practice for more than a total of five hours," Curtis said. "If you practice one time, you can't do more than three hours."
Still, Curtis says it's important for coaches to keep a close eye on their players to make certain no one suffers a heat-related injury.
"We tell our coaches, 'Be sensitive,'" Curtis said. "Look and see each player. Watch them carefully. If they don't look right, get them out. If they say something, let's let the trainer make a decision.
"It's part of the responsibility of the player, the coach, and the athletic trainer to make sure the guys are well informed and that we do a good job of supplying what they need," Curtis added. ""I think across the board--and I'm not speaking just for us--I think for the most part, most of the high schools do a nice job of making sure the players have what they need on the field to keep them hydrated and ready to go."
