BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (WDTN) — The Miami Valley’s summer heat is ramping up just as high school sports are kicking off practices at Beavercreek High School. As the rest of the community retreats indoors due to high temperatures, trainers and coaches are taking extra steps to beat the heat.
“If it’s too hot outside, or too humid, we usually shorten practice or change practice, and have more water breaks,” said Katie DeWilde, an athletic trainer for Premier Health.
DeWilde said hydration and nutrition are key to keeping the players safe.
“We recommend that our athletes hydrate before practice, a lot during practice, and even after practice. As well as eating good meals before practice,” she said.
“The past week has been challenging practicing with excessive heat. Practicing on turf makes it even a little bit hotter,” said Steven Popp, Beavercreek’s soccer coach.
Staff on the field are always watching for signs of heat exhaustion, including:
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Excessive sweating
- Clammy skin
- Muscle cramping
- Headaches
- Slowing pulse
“We know our players really well. If we see somebody that looks a little shaky, we’ll step to them to see if there’s going to be a need for them to step off, get some water, and step in the shade,” Popp said.
He said the game plan also includes making sure players are prepared for everything that comes their way.
“You can play in the rain. You can play in the cold in October, and you can play in the heat in August. Because we may find in a real game we may have to play in those elements, we like to make sure we prepare for them,” said Popp.
