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Post by 3rdandlong on Jul 21, 2016 14:18:52 GMT -6
I'm from Southern California and for some very stupid reason I recently spent a couple days of my vacation in Palm Springs where it was 112%. I couldn't help but wonder what the football programs around these types of areas do for practice. I know that if the heat index reaches close to 100 then we have modifications forced upon us and will even be forced to cancel practice. I know that there is the option of practicing at night or early morning but it was still over 100 at 10 pm!!!! What is it you desert or super hot areas do? And this isnt a debate of dry heat vs humidity. I'm simply curious. Do you change practice structire, time, location, etc. or do you just say phuc it, we're gonna tough it out.
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Post by KYCoach2331 on Jul 21, 2016 19:39:39 GMT -6
We changed practice from 6-8 PM in KY because we couldn't get a full day in without having to stop.
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Post by pvogel on Jul 21, 2016 20:29:03 GMT -6
Morning does a lot to help. If youre done before noon its so much better. Preach hydration. They NEED to know that hydration comes from the day before. Make sure each station has water and they can drink throughout practice and not just during "water breaks". Don't spend more than 2 hours outside (which kinda ties into the thread about practice time and why I was shocked people go 3 hours). Film and weight room are good alternatives and supplements to on field work. But the reality is that our kids (South Florida) are pretty used to it. Just still gotta be smart and attentive as coaches.
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Post by Yash on Jul 21, 2016 20:46:16 GMT -6
In wisconsin if the heat index gets in the upper 90's we have to take gear off, if its around 104, we can't be out there. One thing I do as a line coach is linemen practice in the shade. Perk to being a linemen... and feeds into the philosophy of offensive linemen being the mushrooms of football.
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Post by The Lunch Pail on Jul 22, 2016 0:06:20 GMT -6
Here in Missouri, we get this thing called "humidity". I don't know if you guys have ever heard of that in Cali, but it sucks balls. It's like heat that weighs you down and destroys your will.
All kidding aside, morning practices do help a ton. I've always found that kids hate getting up early, but LOVE having the entire day to themselves. IMHO, practices often start out flatter when you have these practices at night. Kids are often tired (most of our kids have a job), and give off an "I really don't want to be here" vibe that spreads throughout the team. In the morning, our guys are so tired that they can't complain.
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Post by chi5hi on Jul 22, 2016 9:30:17 GMT -6
If they weren't outside playing football, they'd be outside playing something else. They have an incredible amount of energy...they're kids!
The fact is that kids grow up along with the local weather and being that age, they'll be out in it doing something anyway...chasing girls...chasing girls on their skateboards or their BMX...chasing girls at the beach, the pool, the Bar-B-Que. Athletes are outside...doing stuff.
Its us older farts who worry too much about this. Still...district guidelines for heat index need to be monitored by the supervising adults and common sense has to be in play.
Sometimes we'll conduct basic teaching that needs to be done while inside and on the basketball court. That allows us to get a lot of walkthrough things explained and demonstrated, then we can take it on the field later in the afternoon. We never want to go more than 2 hours out there and as the season moves forward our time becomes less than 2...and that is usually spent on technique, only.
As for me, I prefer evenings, something like 6 PM. As practice progresses it gets cooler, not hotter.
A great invention is the social networking we see today. 2 weeks ago it suddenly reached 110 in the shade and we were able to contact everyone to get a 2 hour delay for start of practice.
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orion320
Sophomore Member
"Don't tell me about the labor just show me the baby!"
Posts: 211 
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Post by orion320 on Jul 22, 2016 9:31:02 GMT -6
Going in the morning is a huge help and if you have the resources go later at night under the lights. We have only done this a few times but it is does help. We have Team Managers that carry water bottles around the entire practice so there is no need for water breaks. If it gets too hot we take off our pads.
A few years ago after our acclimatization period (which is a joke IMHO), we had 4 hour practice and it was pretty hot so we decided to go 1.5 hours typical practice, had a 30 min break, then went inside for film in the Classroom for 1 hour, then went back outside for 1.5 hours. Had an extra 30 min for transistion from inside to outs0die. The kids absolutely loved it and we got a lot done. Did this for 4 days leading up to school starting.
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Post by Wingtman on Jul 22, 2016 11:52:39 GMT -6
Here in Missouri, we get this thing called "humidity". I don't know if you guys have ever heard of that in Cali, but it sucks balls. It's like heat that weighs you down and destroys your will. All kidding aside, morning practices do help a ton. I've always found that kids hate getting up early, but LOVE having the entire day to themselves. IMHO, practices often start out flatter when you have these practices at night. Kids are often tired (most of our kids have a job), and give off an "I really don't want to be here" vibe that spreads throughout the team. In the morning, our guys are so tired that they can't complain. I hear ya brother. I hate evening practice. I hate waiting all day to go to practice. I wanna come in get our work in and see my kid before she goes to bed. |
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Post by carookie on Jul 22, 2016 14:15:31 GMT -6
I grew up and played ball just outside of Palm Springs, we did a couple of things to avoid the heat when I was in HS. Two-a-days would often start at 6 am; some years we'd go 6-8:30 and then do the same in the evening, other years we'd go just 6-11 AM (with a half hour break in the middle). It was still hot as all get up, as recorded temperatures usually broke 120 a couple times a year. During the season, after school practice was just that-after school; 2-3 hours in the heat. This was about 20 years ago though so things have changed.
I coached out there for a while too, and in AZ. When in AZ they had restrictions based on the temperature, usually you'd have to wait until the temperature was low enough to practice (so in season practice was 5:00-7:00). We also had to have mandatory rest and water periods at regular intervals pending the weather.
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Post by coachwoodall on Jul 22, 2016 20:08:19 GMT -6
What doesn't make sense to me is, we can work the kids all summer; running, 7-7's, etc.... for not limit. But as soon as the 'season' starts we have to 'acclimate' our players.
Hades, I have been in multiple 7-7's with my position group in temps that are 90+/heat index 100+/on field turf that is 130+ for 7 HOURS; but come August 1st they all have to start over and 'get acclimatized'.
I guess the lawyers rule the roost.......
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Post by runitupthemiddle on Aug 1, 2016 20:39:24 GMT -6
Where I am at now we have regulations based in heat index
104- ice buckets, towels and water trough must be filled and ready
105- same as above but half pack
106- Helmets only, same as above but 5 min breaks every 15 min
And for who ever said kids ride bikes
Skateboard all day
And chase girls in the heat, has a rare group of kids
I don't know any kids jh-hs that do any of that except for chase girls
They will lay up all day if u let them.
Our jh has been going pretty decent the last 3 weeks
Today was first official practice, and they were dragging butt!
Of course they got in trouble right away and had some extra running at the beginning, so some went into survival mode after 10 min. Others that had really been busting their bust in the summer were alright, not great but all right
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Post by wildcatslbcoach24 on Aug 2, 2016 4:10:08 GMT -6
Teach like others have said about hydrating the night/ day before and instead of water breaks have water caddies placed at every position group's sector of the practice field. Make sure coaches are trained to recognize signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion and practice in the AM before the hottest parts of the day or so so in the evening say weights from 5-6 and practice 6-8 pm.
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