State guidelines aim to protect student-athletes from heat
MIAMI - South Florida high schools are taking measures to protect student-athletes from the heat — in line with state guidelines that apply to all Florida High School Athletic Association football programs.
A 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.
"Now we have set numbers that we can track, we can look at and be like, 'OK, look, we're over 92 degrees, we can't be out on the field today,'" he said.
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 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 ... a measure we take to try to prevent it," Collazo said.
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 said 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 said they fit five water breaks into every hour of practice and they always have enough for the whole team.
"We try to keep these guys hydrated as much as we can," he said.
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.