Student Athletes & Band Members Enduring Oppressive Texas Heat
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - With classes preparing to resume at schools across Texas, student-athletes and band members are taking to the outdoors to begin practicing. But parents, teachers and coaches are keeping an eye on the kids in the triple-digit heat.
Teen football and soccer players, cross country runners and members of school marching bands have no choice but to practice outside. But Dallas Independent School District spokesperson André Riley said administrators know the dangers and risks associated with dehydration and heat exhaustion.
"There's always medical care available and there's always water and rest periods," he said. "We're going to do all we can to keep students safe. We want them to enjoy their activities, to get out and to practice hard, and to do their best within the context of being healthy and taking care of their bodies."
So whether youngsters are playing the drums, a clarinet, or running a passing route, Riley says the DISD has help standing by during all practices. "We're dealing with young people, human beings and temperatures that are abnormal to be practicing in. So we want to make sure that everyone has access to some sort of care. We'll have trainers virtually anytime we need them, but at the same time we've got coaches that are trained as well."
When dealing with students out working in the Texas sun, officials with Dallas Schools are taking a lot of precautions. "We have water breaks every 20 minutes, that's vital to make sure that students are staying hydrated and that the heat doesn't get to them," Riley explained. "Also, we're limiting our practice time --– from 6 a.m. until about noon."
Health experts with the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Sports Medicine say all heat related illnesses are preventable, if the proper practices and precautions are taken. The University Interscholastic League also has a set of rules for children practicing or participating in outdoor sporting activities.
(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)