{"id":417414,"date":"2024-08-15T11:30:39","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T11:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=417414"},"modified":"2024-08-15T12:05:51","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T12:05:51","slug":"in-oklahoma-hydration-is-front-and-center-for-high-school-football-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=417414","title":{"rendered":"In Oklahoma, hydration is front and center for high school football practice"},"content":{"rendered":"

With football practice beginning to take the field over the last two weeks, states such as Oklahoma are putting a greater emphasis <\/span>not just on proper hydration but<\/span> smart practice habits.<\/span><\/p>\n

Three days out of the next nine days in Oklahoma are forecasted to be in the triple digits. The lowest forecasted temperature is 93 degrees.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s<\/span> a hot \u2014and dangerous \u2014time for student-athletes hitting the practice field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oklahoma is utilizing a blend of common sense and technology to maximize safe practices for its athletes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jason Cox is the assistant athletic trainer for the Mustang Public Schools (Mustang, Oklahoma). He told <\/span>KFOR in Oklahoma<\/span><\/a> that they are actively utilizing and tracking conditions using a<\/span> ‘<\/span>wet bulb globe temperature<\/span>.’<\/span><\/p>\n

If that sounds like something Cox made up, well, it <\/span>isn’t<\/span>. It is, in fact, a very accurate way for athletic trainers and officials to monitor <\/span>athletes’<\/span> conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The National Weather Service<\/span><\/a> said that the<\/span> ‘<\/span>wet bulb globe temperature<\/span>‘ <\/span>is<\/span> “<\/span>a measure of the heat stress in direct sunlight, which <\/span>takes into <\/span>account<\/span>:<\/span> temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover (solar radiation)<\/span>.”<\/span><\/p>\n

These data points can help an athletic trainer or a coach determine not just hydration<\/span>, <\/span>but also <\/span>what are<\/span> the best practice activities given the conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, on Monday this week, Cox said the football team practiced in helmets <\/span>with no<\/span> pads to reduce physical stress and impact. <\/span>And, practice<\/span> was held in the evening <\/span>in an effort<\/span> to avoid mid-day heat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cW<\/span>hen you train appropriately and get acclimated to the heat according to the guidelines <\/span>that <\/span>are<\/span> set forth<\/span> you can <\/span>help<\/span> your performance later <\/span>on<\/span> in the season when <\/span>it\u2019s<\/span> still hot,<\/span>” <\/span>Cox told KFOR<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n