With fall sports beginning around the country, it is critically important for parents to be pro-active when it comes to practices in the heat and humidity of summer.
"Parents need to be empowered to question coaches," says Susan Yeargin, PhD, ATC [1], an Assistant Professor in the Applied Medicine and Rehabilitation Department at Indiana State University and MomsTeam's heat illness and hydration expert. "Coaches are often viewed as 'knowing best.' But that isn't always the case."
For instance, Dr. Yeargin notes, the Kentucky football coach who was indicted in 2009 for negligent manslaughter [2] in the heat stroke death of 15-year-old Max Gilpin, although later acquitted, "had been 'educated' about heat illness, but still held an inappropriate practice that led to his death. There were numerous fathers and mothers watching the practice, but none of them said a thing."
The key is to ask the coaches questions at the preseason meeting [3], such as:
Here are some additional suggestions for parents from Dr. Yeargin:
"Unfortunately, the sad fact is that the main cause of heat stroke is exercise intensity that is too high or too long given the heat and humidity," says Dr. Yeargin. Exercise intensity and time of practice are two things coaches controls, so they need to be held accountable. Water and sports drinks are important, but they will not prevent a heat stroke if coaches are not careful about how and when they are having practice."
Links:
[1] https://momsteam.com/node/2824
[2] https://momsteam.com/node/2027
[3] https://momsteam.com/node/1124
[4] https://momsteam.com/node/282
[5] https://momsteam.com/sports/football-tackle/safety/preventing-heat-illness-during-summer-football-practice
[6] https://momsteam.com/health-safety/ten-ways-prevent-heat-illness
[7] https://momsteam.com/health-safety/hydration-safety/heat-illnesses/ways-to-prevent-heat-stroke-in-student-athletes