State guidelines in place to limit student-athletes to heat exposure
MIAMI - South Florida high schools are taking measures to limit student-athletes to heat exposure during this time of year, following state guidelines already in place.
There is a law already in place to guarantee just that for all Florida High School Athletic Association football programs.
That law, named the Zachary Martin Act, went into effect in 2021 following Martin's death from a heat stroke during football practice.
Matthew Collazo, one of the athletic trainers at True North Classical Academy, said he's glad there are clear guidelines from the top.
Collazo said True North Classical Academy bought an ice box a few years ago that holds 500 pounds of ice and on some days, they use every cube.
He sets up these ice baths just in case someone shows signs of heat exhaustion. It can quickly cool down their body temperature.
"If a kid starts getting lethargic, any blurred vision just signs of heat illness this is something, a measure we take to try to prevent it," Collazo said.
"Now, we have set numbers we can track. We can look and be like we're over 92 degrees we can't be out on the field today."
The program can't take any chances since data from the Florida Policy Institute found that the Sunshine State leads the nation in heat-related illnesses and energy room visits.
On the field, head coach Travis Makauskas says practices don't go longer than an hour and 45 minutes, as a way to limit heat exposure.
"I feel like if we're on the field longer than that. That's poor organization as coaches," Makauskas said.
Collazo says they fit five water breaks into every hour of practice and they always have enough for the whole team.
"We're more of a if you need we have and if you don't need we still have so we try to keep these guys hydrated as much as we can."
State law also requires any student-athletes who are participating in conditioning outside of the school year to pass a physical first.
Coaches are required to take annual training to notice signs of heat exhaustion.