Key Takeaways:
– California has passed a new law aimed at the safety of young athletes in the heat.
– The law imposes strict guidelines on how and when they can play in high temperatures.
– A handheld device known as the wet bulb measures actual temperature, humidity, and wind.
– The law requires educational campuses to create an emergency action plan in case of cardiac arrest, concussion, or heat illness.
With the temperatures in the Coachella Valley often reaching well beyond 100 degrees, it’s no surprise that football practice is considered something of an extreme sport in these parts. However, a recent change in California law aims to ensure that athlete safety takes top priority, particularly during extreme heat conditions.
The Rising Need for Heat-Related Safety Measures
This change, prompted by an Inland Empire lawmaker, demands additional monitoring of young athletes on the hottest days. It also sets stringent guidelines on how and when they can participate in extreme heat. This change will significantly impact high school athletics throughout California. It will enhance safety practices, many of which desert schools have already implemented for years, according to Estevan Valencia, the athletic director at Palm Desert High.
With concerns about heat and safety in sports escalating, coaches have started shifting practice schedules to the early morning or after sunset. Regular water breaks are made mandatory, and athletes are closely monitored for signs of heat stress like red faces or dizziness. This reality has been part of their sporting environment for years, but now it’s mandated and scrutinized by law.
Understanding the Role of the Wet Bulb
The California Interscholastic Federation developed the rules to meet the standards set in the law by Assemblymember Kate Sanchez. The law, which passed last year, was enforced in July, just in time for back-to-school sports and the recent heatwave. At its core is a handheld device called the wet bulb.
The wet bulb, which closely resembles a robust-looking cellphone, delivers a reading of temperature, humidity, and wind. It’s designed to simulate the effect of heat on human bodies by considering air movement, sunlight, and evaporative cooling. Initially conceived in the 1950s to safeguard army and marine service members from heat illness, the wet bulb has been repurposed for sports and becomes the backbone of the new regulations.
The new rules stemming from the wet bulb readings impose heightened restrictions on sports practices and competitions as the temperatures increase. The heat thresholds fluctuate based on geographical areas; the coastal areas fall into Zone 1, with limitations at lower temperatures, while hotter inland areas like the Inland Empire (Zone 3) have the highest heat thresholds.
Establishing Emergency Action Plans
Another essential part of the law requires all campuses with interscholastic sports to draft an emergency action plan in the event of sudden cardiac arrest, concussion, or heat illness. This law has been developed after acknowledging the number of sports-related traumas and deaths, particularly heat stroke-induced fatalities amongst student-athletes.
Coaches and players are walking the tightrope of balancing the need to avoid dangerous heat levels while preparing for hot weather games. Some heat conditioning during practice is essential to prevent illnesses at the actual competitions. However, the law necessitates this process to be highly supervised and within determined thresholds depending on the specific geographic zones.
The Future of the Law’s Implementation
While the new law offers a protective layer to the student athletes, it still presents challenges. For instance, during weeks of intense heat, the teams must either reschedule or shift practice sessions indoors. This situation could potentially hinder them from competing safely against teams from cooler areas that have regular practice sessions.
To overcome this issue, some coaches are considering requesting the California Interscholastic Federation to delay a sports season by a few weeks to avoid the harshest temperatures of summer and early fall. In the meantime, they are dedicated to ensuring student-athletes’ safety by adjusting practice and game schedules to the coolest parts of the day.
With these recent changes in California law, it’s clear that protecting student-athletes from the dangers of heat stress is of utmost importance. As the law continues to be implemented and tweaked as necessary, the goal remains to safeguard as many young athletes from heat-related complications as possible.
Source: Mercury News.