Since 1995, at least 39 football players across all levels have died from heat-related causes and most of those cases happened in early August.
In the excitement of getting their teams physically fit for a new season, coaches can wrongly assume a fatigued player is out of shape or being lazy.
When coaches fail to recognize the warning signs of heat-related diseases, it can stimulate the progression from dehydration to heat cramps to heat exhaustion and eventually heat stroke.
Of particular concern are those coaching in programs not supervised by schools, such as youth league programs, where there may be little or no safety training of volunteer coaches.
It behooves parents to also pay close attention to their child’s behavior following a practice. Common symptoms to watch are nausea, incoherence, fatigue, weakness, vomiting and muscle cramps.
Professional coaches associations urge coaches and parents to make sure athletes are properly hydrated. This means athletes drinking water when they may not be thirsty and avoiding carbonated or sugar-laden beverages.
Responsible coaches also offer breaks during practices on especially hot days.
Avoiding severe cases of heat illness should be a prime concern of coaches and parents as the severe heat settles over eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle.
There’s no excuse for heat-stroke deaths, since all are preventable with the proper precautions.