PINECREST, FLA. (WSVN) - As high school football teams across South Florida take to the field in anticipation of the upcoming season, coaches and players are keenly aware of a formidable opponent that extends beyond the gridiron: the scorching summer heat. With the first practices underway, the primary focus is on ensuring players’ safety and well-being in the face of soaring temperatures.
Echoes of the upcoming fall season resonate as the sounds of the first football practices fill the air at Miami Palmetto Senior High. Players and coaches are energized by the challenges that lie ahead.
The school’s head football coach, Mike Manasco, spoke of the high expectations that come with the program’s legacy.
“Expectations are as high as ever,” he said. “When you come to a program like ours, the expectations are high every year.”
However, the relentless summer heat will be a different kind of challenge this year. Modern technology, such as Wet Bulb Globe Thermometers (WBGT), is being employed to safeguard players and ensure their comfort during the peak temperatures of summer.
Michele Benz, an athletic trainer at the high school, explained the significance of WBGT, highlighting how it differs from conventional heat index or “feels like” temperature measurements. She emphasized that these conventional measures are taken in the shade and consider only humidity and ambient temperature. In contrast, WBGT accounts for factors like humidity, wind, radiant sun, and overall temperature.
Benz further detailed the nuanced nature of WBGT readings, explaining that even small environmental changes like cloud cover or increased wind can significantly impact the temperature reading.
“When we get to certain degrees on our WBGT, modifications and accommodations are made,” she said.
These adjustments can range from extended water breaks to providing shade under tents. In more extreme cases, athletic trainers have the authority to remove players’ equipment or halt practice entirely based on the WBGT reading. If the thermometer’s reading is below 82 degrees Fahrenheit, practice can proceed as usual, but if the reading surpasses 92.1 degrees or higher, practice must be stopped or moved indoors due to safety concerns.
Coach Manasco underlined that player health takes precedence over wins and losses.
“Always be smarter. The kids come first,” he emphasized.
As South Florida’s high school football teams gear up for the upcoming season, the careful balance between preparation and player safety remains at the forefront of their efforts.
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