Hot, humid and sweltering are all words that come to mind in the beginning days of the football season - the first weeks of practice at the end of the summer.
This time of year is exciting for the players and coaches alike. The dog days of summer in late July and early August are the beginning of the season and are the days teams build the foundation of a successful season.
Kimberly White, a principle scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, gave some advice on hydration issues at the NFL-USA Football Youth Football Summit in Canton, Ohio, which hosted more than 100 high school coaches and youth football leaders from all 50 states. She gave youth and amateur football coaches three tips for ensuring their players' safety in one of the toughest stretches of the season.
"First, one of the biggest things is that players really need to acclimate to the heat," White said. "They need to get used to exercising in the heat, so it's really important for them to give their players time to do that in the first five days of their practices."
It's a good time for coaches to make sure they are giving their teams plenty of water breaks, and it's also important to practice those first few days without much equipment as players get used to a grueling summer practice schedule.
Jeromy Fritz of Arnold, Mo., is the vice president of the Jefferson County Youth Association (JCYA) that serves more than 500 kids in the Jefferson County area, near St. Louis. A USA Football commissioner member, Fritz attended the Summit and took some helpful tips away from White's presentation. He said White suggested implementing a buddy system for kids to help keep an eye on each other, especially when a coach is responsible for multiple players.
The second thing coaches probably don't realize is that most players are dehydrated before practice even gets started.
"If they're already working from a deficit, it's even harder for them to stay hydrated during practice," White said. "One of the easiest ways to do that is to monitor urine color when they get to practice. They want it to be as light as possible."
Lastly, White advised coaches to monitor their players' weight before and after practice. If a player is properly hydrated, he should weigh the same before practice and after practice.
"If they lose weight during practice, it means they're not drinking enough and they're going to be dehydrated," White said. You don't want them to over-drink. You don't want them to gain weight, so have them weigh-in before and after and then use that information to help figure out how much players should be drinking during practice."
Fritz, who is responsible for hundreds of players, said he could easily relate to the worries and issues White discussed in her presentation. With her helpful advice and suggestions, commissioners and coaches like Fritz can ensure that the most grueling part of the season can also be a safe one.
