Intense heat during fall camp for high school football players

Maumelle, Arkansas – As athletes finish up week one of high school football practice during fall camp in the Natural State, the heat is on and the pads are popping.

While teams are eager for the season to begin, they are also looking for some break from the heat.

The Maumelle Hornets’ nest is on fire, so practicing is out of the question.

“If they can get acclimated this week, Friday night is going to be a breeze,” coach Brian Maupin said.

Finding the right balance in this heat to press but not too hard is a tricky line, according to the head coach in his second season.

“This isn’t natural, but we ask our guys to be supernatural,” Maupin said.

Coach claims that compared to last year’s autumn camp, this one is far more rigorous.

“Trying to alternate that workload to make sure the body is not over stressed,” Maupin explained.

You can’t be depleted if you want to be a magical athlete. Every 20 minutes during practice, players take a break and, if necessary, remove their shoulder pads and helmets.

Coach Maupins claims that Friday was the closest they’ve ever come to having to call off practice, but they got going early enough to finish. The situation at Cabot High School practice was different.

Keith Shireman, the athletic trainer at Cabot, said he had to cancel two practices this week.

Shireman also serves as the organization’s president in Arkansas. The 92.1-degree bulb globe scale is used by athletic trainers to decide when to cancel practice.

When compared to taking merely the actual temperature, the bulb globe is different.

“It takes into consideration the ambient temp outside, wind speed, relative humidity,” Shireman said.

Additionally, according to Arkansas law, all schools must have cold baths for players to use after practice in order to beat the heat.

“The battle can be won if we can get that core temperature down right away,” Shireman said.

According to Shireman, AATA will collaborate with the Kendrick Fincher Hydration for Life Foundation in August to raise awareness of heat stroke.

The objective is to raise public awareness of heat stroke and to install ice tubs in every school in the state.

According to Shireman, heat strokes are entirely avoidable. So it’s important to know what to do in an emergency. Visit AATA.com for additional information on heat strokes.

Football teams battle actual or felt triple digit temperatures every August, and winning is the first step to a successful season.

“Really good job of matching every hurdle life puts in front of us,” Maupin said as he ended practice.