 |
|
|
|
|
|
Football teams savvy about beating the heat
Source:
Butler Eagle
Written by:
Sam Tallarico
Published:
September 1, 2010
Water, water everywhere — and that's just the beginning.
Summers in Western Pennsylvania don't get nearly as hot as Texas or Arizona, but the heat still can pose a serious health risk.
That's especially true for high school football players preparing for the fall season in the heart of August.
"The kids have water breaks every 10 minutes," said Karns City coach Ed Conto, who is coaching his 22nd year of high school football, the last 11 with the Gremlins.
"We send groups over for drinks. The defensive backs may have two drills, then we send them over. They come back, then the linebackers go over," Conto added.
"We give the kids lots of water breaks," said Mars coach Scott Heinauer, now in his 19th season. "We don't do Gatorade in practice, though. They can do that at the end of practice, to get the salt back in their body."
Said Moniteau coach Jeff Campbell, "We took a lot of breaks, even if it was 10-minute breaks. We kept giving them water and Gatorade to keep them hydrated."
But all three coaches realize that it's more than just drinking water on the field.
Karns City trainer John Burnett uses education, measurements and science to keep the Gremlins healthy.
"The first day of camp we have a meeting when the coaches meet with the team," said Burnett, the team's trainer the past 14 years. "I go first and I educate them.
"I make sure they're eating the right kinds of foods, the right drinks, the amount of sleep they need.
"Hydration is the biggie and we weigh in before each practice and weigh out after each practice. We see if someone lost a lot of weight and if they put it back on before the next practice," he added.
Burnett also has the players check their urine color.
"Ideally, you'd like it to look like lemonade, not apple juice," Burnett noted.
When the team has lunch, he makes sure the players replenish with proper beverages, not caffeinated drinks like sodas.
Campbell took a lesson learned from the past and turned it into something more productive.
"Right after lunch, we'd give them an hour then go out and be sluggish," said Campbell. "This year, after an hour, we'd do 1Z\x hours in the classroom, some chalk talk in the air-conditioned field house.
"It allowed time to digest and rehydrate, and we got better practices. We've done little things like that to keep them fresh," Campbell added.
Heinauer said Mars also monitors its players' weight.
"We've been fortunate that we've never really had a lot of dehydrated players," said Heinauer. "The second week (in camp this summer) was really long and hot, up in the 90s. We've done things like go in the mornings, then go back in the evening.
"This past week was very cool and that's great for everyone. Still, we encourage the kids to drink plenty of fluids," Heinauer added.
Burnett has a heat index machine that monitors temperature and humidity.
"You have to make sure it's a safe zone for them," said Burnett. "Our coaches have been great. We give (the players) more breaks, ice towels — it's reduced a lot of problems."
Burnett also brought in a couple of rubber troughs that hold 100 pounds of ice.
"The kids go in and get a shower, then come out and sit in the ice water," the Gremlins trainer said. "The guys like it. It's refreshing."
Burnett has even done research on the benefits of chocolate milk after practice.
"It has calcium, vitamins, protein," he said. "It's a good thing that kids like."
|
|
Back |
|
|
|
|
|
|
