Prep coaches preventing heat exhaustion with water breaks at practices

When most of Southern Nevada's prep football coaches were in high school, asking for water during practice was considered a sign of weakness.

"Back then, we had one water break in a 2 1/2-hour practice," Western coach Rich Stevens recalled.

But after 92 heat-related deaths in high school and college football in the past 43 years -- including one last week in North Carolina -- Las Vegas' summer heat has become a major concern for area coaches in recent years.

Instruction about heat's effects and regularly scheduled water breaks have become as common in preseason practices as tackling dummies and special team drills.

"It's counterproductive to your program if you don't give them all the water breaks they need," Bonanza coach Nick Butera said. "It doesn't mean you're not disciplined. It's just a bodily function. And if you need water, you're not thinking about learning your plays."

For many coaches, this week's practice schedule has been dictated by an attempt to avoid the hottest part of the day.

"We try to beat the heat by going in the morning and late in the evening," said Eldorado coach Ken Trujillo, who gives his players five or six water breaks during each practice.

But when Clark County students begin classes Monday, football practices will move to the afternoon, when 100-plus degree temperatures are the norm.

According to UNLV Associate Athletic Director Jerry Koloskie, a longtime athletic trainer, the key to preventing heat-related tragedies on the football field is educating athletes about the dangers.

"All student-athletes should take the same precautions, whether it be at the college or high school level," Koloskie said. "You've got to emphasize that fluids are the key."

Stevens, for one, began the year with a speech about the importance of drinking water.

"They know because we talk about it," he said. "We've been telling them to keep themselves hydrated."

Recognizing the signs

The simplest way for players to guard against heat exhaustion is to recognize the symptoms: lightheadedness or dizziness, chills and either extremely dry or extremely clammy skin.

"We tell them the key is communication," Durango coach John Mausbach said. "If a kid says he's feeling dizzy, we send him right to the water. You can't get anything out of the kids by punishing them."

Koloskie said that keeping a close eye on an athlete's weight can make it easier to detect a potential problem.

"You're guarding against losing 5 to 8 percent of an athlete's body weight in one practice," Koloskie said. "If their weight does not come back up to within 2 percent of where it was by the next practice, you would be more likely to hold them out of practice for a day."

Failure to diagnose heat exhaustion or dehydration can lead to heat stroke, the condition generally responsible for tragedy.

"If you get down to where 7 to 8 percent of their body weight is gone, you can go into heat stroke," Koloskie said. "If a kid keeps pushing himself and there's no monitoring going on, you could have an emerging situation."

Since few area high schools have weigh-in programs as part of their regular football regiment, athletes and their families are encouraged to take note of sudden weight losses during the summer months.

Koloskie also stressed the importance of a nutritious diet and the consistent use of water or supplemental drinks like Gatorade to replenish lost fluids.

"If a kid is drinking plenty of water and they're eating properly, they greatly reduce the risk," Koloskie said.

archive