The excessive heat advisory in Arkansas has caused athletes to need to take extra precautions for upcoming games and practices. Coaches have also had to make modifications to help the athletes stay healthy. Junior, Landon Hughes, took an extra precaution before his first game this year by getting an IV for hydration.
“It was more beneficial than it was actually a thing I needed, so it was to stay hydrated.” Hughes said.
Football players have continued to practice and prepare for their season even through the excruciating heat.
“We’ve just been pushing through the heat.” Hughes said.
Chris Thompson, a strength and conditioning coach for many athletic programs at Har-Ber, talked about modified practice plans. Since teams have been forced to move practices to inside, he feels it has been difficult due to limited indoor facilities.
“Other sports outside of football that practice in the afternoon have been affected tremendously,” Thompson said. ”Now that they were told they can’t go outside, there’s only so much room in the indoor facility for them to work.”
Trainer Joey Carroll has treated heat related injuries during this excessive heat advisory and explains what he does for the athletes to help them heal.
“We had one kid after a practice get heat exhaustion,” Carroll said. “You bring them inside, let their bodies cool down, rehydrate them and get some food in them and then their bodies will regulate themselves.”
There are many rules coaches have to follow so that the athletes are safe. Many of the rules are there so that coaches can avoid an unnecessary injury.
“Communicate, know the rules, know the laws, especially with the AAA about what you can and can’t do and when you can do it.” Carroll said. “Try to avoid a situation that is avoidable.”
Without proper hydration some injuries are inevitable. People often drink sports drinks instead of hydrating with water leading to cramps that wouldn’t have happened if they had more water in their system.
“I know people love their Gatorade and their Powerade,” Carroll said, “but if you don’t drink enough water you are bound to cramp, just because you don’t have enough actual water in you.”