Children sweat less than adults which makes it harder for them to cool off when participating in activities in extreme heat. It is extremely important for coaches to take environmental conditions into consideration when scheduling and running practices during the summer and early fall. Below are some guidelines to help increase the safety and performance of children who play sports in hot weather.
Tips for coaches:
• Be aware of temperature and humidity levels. Change practice length, intensity and equipment use as the levels rise.
• It should be easy for children to drink fluids during practice, and you should remind them to drink regularly. Fluid breaks should be scheduled for all practices and become more frequent as the heat and humidity levels rise.
