Football heats up as practices begin

As heat indexes climbed this week, precautions were increased on football fields across Rockdale County.

While Georgia's high school athletics governing body, the Georgia High School Association, has restrictions on practice durations and suggestions on water consumption, Rockdale County has its own rules.

The Rockdale County School Board has restrictions based on heat index levels starting with an index of 98 degrees. From 98-101 degrees players have to take off their pads, from 101-104 you have to go in T-shirts and shorts and at a heat index of 105 degrees the teams have to go indoors.

Kiesha Seabrooks from the school board sends out athletics guidelines and, along with the schools' athletic directors, send coaches forecasted heat indexes.

Coaches also carry around psychrometers, gauges to determine temperature and humidity to help regulate their players' body heat.

"It's very hot and there's some acclimating the kids have to go through in this heat," Heritage coach Chad Frazier said.

Frazier moved the Patriots' practices from after school to a 6 p.m. start time during a cooler part of the day.

"We had to do that a couple of years ago," Frazier said. "We keep an eye out on the weather and try to keep up on the forecast. We did what we could the first couple of days and realized we probably needed to make the switch on Wednesday."

During practices teams are required to have water breaks every 20 minutes, as well as a supply of water available throughout practices.

These precautions and coaches' watchful eyes have kept the first week of practice uneventful as far as heat exhaustion.

Rockdale went to stricter heat restrictions after the death of Rockdale County football player Tyler Davis of heat stroke in 2007.

"We're doing everything we can to make sure no one gets overheated," Rockdale coach Michael Etheridge said.

This Article courtesy of Bryan Fazio of "The Rockdale News"

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