Tory Reeves currently begins practice for his Starkville High’s cross-country team at 6 each morning. With midday temperatures reaching record highs, the coach recently decided that early practices were the best option for his sport—an idea that he implemented to keep his athletes safe during the hottest portion of their season.
“It’s a fall sport, but it’s really a summer start because you need to be running, preparing the body and getting ready for the fall season of cross country,” Reeves told the Mississippi Free Press. “But it’s just so hot, and what we do is hard. We go out for long runs, and it’s hard to break it up and have water breaks or so many breaks within a certain timeframe.”
With the risk of heat-related illnesses a concern as athletes return to practice, the Mississippi High School Activities Association has taken measures to boost safety for athletes and coaches. MHSAA began mandating the use of wet bulb globe temperature, or WBGT, readings for determining the safety of outdoor practices on June 23. All state high-school outdoor athletic programs must measure WBGT and make necessary practice modifications depending on the readings.
Mississippi High School Activities Association Executive Director Rickey Neaves said the organization has recommended the use of WBGT for the past five years. The organization endorsed its use after reviewing the recommendations and work of the Korey Stringer Institute. Former NFL offensive tackle Korey Stringer died from complications caused by heat stroke during the Vikings’ training camp in 2001. The institute created in his memory conducts studies on sports with the mission “to provide research, education, advocacy and consultation to maximize performance, optimize safety and prevent sudden death.”
Mississippi High School Activities Association Executive Director Rickey Neaves says the heat safety mandates protect both athletes and coaches by giving strict guidelines on when to adjust practices. Photo courtesy MHSAA
Three separate thermometers measure ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind and solar radiation from the sun to determine WBGT readings.
Sponsor Message
“This (measurement) gives the best overall estimate of how severe that heat stress is going to be to the participants