Coaches Keep Eye on Thermometer

Two Kansas teens died after football practices held in 100-degree heat last week, news that sent a shiver down the spine of many Orange County high school coaches as two-a-day workouts began Monday.

Years ago, coaches often denied players water, believing it would toughen them during a period that used to be called “Hell Week.” These days, most coaches watch for signs of heat-related problems as closely as they monitor drills.

“I can’t speak to those [cases in Kansas] because I wasn’t there and don’t know the exact circumstances,” said Julian Smilowitz, who coaches at Fullerton where temperatures topped out at 86 degrees Monday. “But you have to know the appropriate time to get water and be able to recognize the danger signs.

“Kids overheat every time they come out, especially the bigger young men, and it’s a very dangerous thing. We follow the procedures to cool them down, water, shade, remove some clothing, and if they don’t respond quickly, we call 911 and they take them directly to the hospital.”

Smilowitz said that has happened more than a few times in his 21 years as a high school football coach.

At University High, coaches and trainers have a gauge that measures humidity and the heat index, and they plan water breaks accordingly.

“We’re not doing anything differently this year because of the heat,” Trojan Coach Mark Cunningham said, “but we’re constantly aware of it. We also have a nationally certified trainer all year long.”

Some teams begin their first practice as early as 6 a.m. and nearly all are underway by 8. It’s the afternoon session that usually is hardest on the players and most worrisome for those monitoring them for heat-related health problems.

“We practice from 3 to 6 in the afternoons and that’s the toughest in terms of heat,” Aliso Niguel Coach Joe Wood said. “We just make sure we water them.”

Water during practice is important, but coaches can’t control what players do between practices and that, according to Irvine Coach Terry Henigan, is even more critical.

“In most cases [when someone dies], it’s something the kids have done beforehand, like taking a diet pill or they aren’t getting any fluids,” he said. “We try to preach to parents that it’s the fluids you take before practice and after that make the difference.

“If a kid is stupid between 11-4 and goes home and does nothing, he only has a cold pop and doesn’t replenish his fluids, it doesn’t matter what we do between 4-6, he could be in danger.

“We’re as careful as you can be. I tell the kids, ‘If you feel weird, go see the trainer.’ We tell them not to be the tough guy. If you didn’t get in shape, we don’t want you to die. We’ll get you in shape slowly.

“But they do die and that’s scary.”