Football practice and heat: A dangerous combination
Is it safe to hold sports practices in this heat? (AJC file)
UPDATE Wednesday at 11: School districts are responding to the heat concerns. Cobb, Cherokee, Henry and Decatur have ceased all outdoor practices from noon to 6.
UPDATE Wednesday at 3:30: The Georgia High School Association has issued a statement on the death of two Georgia players Tuesday from what is believed to be heat-related illnesses.
Every high school sports program in the state is probably discussing its summer practice routines now that heat stroke is being cited as a possible reason why two Georgia players died yesterday.
While former high school players contend that they used to practice in the sweltering summer heat, experts counter that temperatures today are higher, air quality is worse and sports are more competitive
According to the AJC:
A 16-year-old Fitzgerald High School defensive lineman died Tuesday morning following practice at a facility in northern Florida.
DJ Searcy, a rising junior, was found unresponsive in his cabin at O’Leno State Park in Columbia County, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken to a local hospital but resuscitation efforts failed. According to the National Weather Service, the heat index for Lake City, Fla., reached 109 degrees Tuesday.
Searcy’s death came the same day Locust Grove High School center Forest Jones, 16, died after suffering a heat stroke following practice last week.
After a teen football player died in Florida, the Miami Herald ran a story Monday about athletes’ deaths, quoting from the book “Preventing Sudden Death in Sport and Physical Activity.”
According to the Herald story:
Between 1982 and 2009, there were 756 deaths from all causes among high school and college athletes. The vast majority were high school athletes, many of them football players.The book highlights the deficiencies for keeping athletes safe during practices and competition, and offers extensive instruction on how to improve conditions. For example, only about half of all high schools have athletic trainers on staff, usually because of budgetary constraints, according to Douglas Casa, who edited the book, though many schools somehow find the money to pay several football coaches.
As high school football players head back to the fields this August, “that should scare … any parent in America,” Casa said. Casa’s organization, the Korey Stringer Institute, says only one state, New Jersey, follows guidelines for acclimating high school athletes after a summer off. The institute was named for the Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman who collapsed and died of heat stroke in 2001.
With heat illnesses accounting for such a large portion of deaths among high school athletes, no football field should be without a tub of water and bags of ice for emergency cooling this summer, Casa said. Casa, who nearly died of heat stroke while competing in a 1985 high school track championship, offers this broad guideline: “When something feels different, when something feels strange, when something feels out of the ordinary, back down on your intensity.”
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
241 comments Add your comment
doh
August 3rd, 2011
9:34 am
Sure its worth it, why else would you put your kids life in the hands of an idiot, as cashman says.
The Problem
August 3rd, 2011
9:37 am
The main problem is the fact that there is no regulation on high school football. I played high school football 12 years ago and several of our players went to UGA for a camp, and we could not practice at certain times due to the heat index. The NCAA sets regulations on when college level players can practice and under what conditions practice can be executed. Unfortunately, there are no regulations set on high school athletes. Until the state steps in and stops some of this stupidity you will continue to see this every summer in the Southeast. That’s just my two sense….
South Ga Fan
August 3rd, 2011
9:38 am
RN hit it on the head. If the GHSA is not going to push back the start times for football a couple of weeks, then it MUST be mandated that NO practice can take place between 10:00am and 7:30pm!
chasman
August 3rd, 2011
9:39 am
Doh – I pray you don’t have kids. A 14 yr old not mature enough for anything LOL. In 2 yrs he may be driving. He’a already flown a plane in Civil Air Patrol. 2 yrs after that, He may be killing for his country. His life in not in the coaches hands. My son is definitely smart enough to hydrate and rest when needed, probably unlike yours.
Jonathan
August 3rd, 2011
9:40 am
Water breaks are not enough, and give a false sense of “doing it right”. We should all know by now that too much water will kill you deader than a doornail. It is the minerals that provide the electrolytes that power the system. These deaths were caused by a combination of issues, young kids have less blood, and less minerals, they sweat a lot and lose all their minerals quicker than the adults watching, once the minerals are lost the organs irreversibly shut down one at a time. Then Death is unavoidable. The heat does not do it. The mineral loss is the mis-understood KILLER! Please wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jonathan
August 3rd, 2011
9:44 am
PS….Purified water, is Reverse Osmosis water which is like distilled water, and not only has all the minerals removed, it is hungry water and robs any minerals from the blood. doubly deadly if you as me. DO NOT DRINK RO WATER………….Please understand this! it might save at least one kid!
karen
August 3rd, 2011
9:44 am
Enter your comments here
BB
August 3rd, 2011
9:45 am
To all you armchair, want to relive the youth you didn’t have fathers…don’t assume that the kids are out of shape. Heatstroke can affect ANYONE. And water breaks? Hello? It’s 2011. I hope you all are a little more up on sports nutrition. In this heat you need more than water. You need electrolytes and not that junky crap gatorate which is sugarwater. Real sport drink. I’m an endurance athlete and I am training indoors right now. Why can’t they condition in the gym? Plyometrics will get it done, inside. And your kid will still be alive.
A Conservative Voice
August 3rd, 2011
9:47 am
Very simple, folks……don’t start school till the day after Labor Day. All these supposedly smart people running our school systems ain’t so smart and you’re just following ‘em like sheep over the cliff……wake up now, you hear
God made the Idiot for practice, and then He made the School Board.
Mark Twain
isproab
August 3rd, 2011
9:49 am
I’m a youth football coach and I have to say that all head coaches and assistants need to be aware of all players at all times. I coach 6 & 7 year olds and practice starts at 6:30 for us. Usually by 7p it has started to cool off with the sun going down, however, it is still very muggy.
Water breaks are very important. Also, especially with the young kids, don’t be a jerk. Most of the coaches with my teams are dad’s that have a son or two on the team. I know we all want our boys to be tough, but not at the expense of their health or life. Needing water is not a weakness, the body is 70% water, upsetting that balance can be deadly. It only takes a few minutes in this heat and all that equipment for a kid to get in trouble.
American Mother
August 3rd, 2011
9:51 am
If these parents had wanted their children to die of heat stroke, they could have just left them in the car when they were little………………….my point??? these two things happen EVERY summer and no one does anything about it????? Breaks my heart!!!
Peace
ACSM guidelines
August 3rd, 2011
9:52 am
American College of Sports Medicine is the authoritative science on sport and conditioning.
With a simple formula of the dry bulb temperature and the humidity, it is clear that the amount and kind of exercise must be constrained for the weather conditions. If some atheletes are dying from the conditions, then you can be sure the others are suffering muscle loss and damage as well as other latent conditions. Drinking water does not prevent heat injury in these conditions.
See: http://www.acsm.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Research/Roundtables_Specialty_Conf/PastRoundtables/Youth_Football_Rt.pdf
Concrete Pete
August 3rd, 2011
9:53 am
The prevailing thought on these comments is exactly what’s wrong and what will eventually destroy this country. The Wussification of America. Too hot to work. Too cold to work. Too many hours. Need more pay. blah blah blah.
Look, I was a high school coach at one time and I am a parent. I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose a child. My thoughts and prayers are with his parents, family, friends coaches and teammates.
However, It is NOT “too hot” to practice football, or anything else for that matter. The problem is the fact that kids today spend all summer indoors with the AC running playing video games and drinking sodas, then pop up one day and begin running around in the 100 degree heat and high humidity. Your body is shocked and tragedies happen
The GHSA should force all football teams and all players to participate in conditioning drills all summer so that when practice starts, the kids are acclimated. A player shouldn’t be allowed to come straight off his couch and into the first day of August practice.
Coaches should monitor players water intake. Be sure that they are well hydrated. Like many already do, be sure there are frequent water breaks during practice. Parents and guardians should do all they can to be sure that the player gets proper nutrition and drinks plenty of water at home and stays away from sodas and DEFINITELY the energy drinks.
And now, if you thought my wussification of America statement was harsh, I give you this: many of these same young men on the high school practice fields now will go on to the military and some may be on the front lines to preserve our freedoms and way of life. If it’s “too hot” for battle, would it be acceptable for them to push the war back to September or later at night? Exactly. If one of these kids grows up to have a wife and dependent children and his life gets “too hot” will it be acceptable for him to quit? or delay life for a while until things are cooler? Exactly.
I’m gone… Thanks and God Bless to all the coaches out there leading our kids that will soon be the leaders of this nation
Rufio
August 3rd, 2011
9:53 am
It is sad that we as a community sacrifice 2-3 of our young sons every year to the football gods. The sun and heat are not going away. GHSA has to stop sacrificing these boys. They have to set maximum hard rules that must be followed by the teams instead of leaving it the coaches. They are trying to not take the liability is all. Every child is at risk playing in this heat not just the fat or heavy set ones.
One of my sons swims collegiately and has been training in an outdoor pool. He is in great shape and he has had problem with heat related issues and he had an Olympic pool cooling him down.
Some of these young men are in fear of saying anything or complaining about the heat. They are so concerned about how the coaches view them and they are afraid of raising hands or saying something. The rules have to keep the weak ones in mind.
This is just a game is it really worth killing these kids?
karen
August 3rd, 2011
9:53 am
i feel bad 4 the boy and his family wen it really wasnt his time to go yet. but god must have say its ur time son and god knows what he is doing so we just need 2 pray that his in a good place right now and he will alway be with you in your hearts just rememder the good times you had with him and he will alway be with you. he was a sweet boy and alway had a smile on his face but just remember the good times you had with him and he will always be with you in your hearts!!!!!!!!—– love, karen
Gaga
August 3rd, 2011
9:56 am
I am the mother of former football players at the college level and now the grandmother of kids practicing in this miserable heat for the ultimate glory of the coaches! Why not having no school start practice until the end of August to maintain that ever lovin’ “even playing field”! Kids who play should be encouraged by parents to prepare for practice with exercise, good nutrition, hydration and a mentality to know if “it is worth it all”! This should all be done way before a kid ever sees a football field.
The coaches mentality to win at any cost and the attitude of parents to relive their past glory days just makes me sick and obviously it is making their children sick. Get over it “jock” coaches and dads and start your practices in cooler weather so that you are able to enjoy a season with your
precious children!
Dr NO
August 3rd, 2011
9:57 am
In an aside. This is as funny as it is stupid. See the front page AJC for the equally funny photos…hilarious.
http://www.ajc.com/news/parents-defend-atlanta-school-1069715.html
so tired of the negativity...yawn...
August 3rd, 2011
10:00 am
“The GHSA should force all football teams and all players to participate in conditioning drills all summer so that when practice starts, the kids are acclimated. A player shouldn’t be allowed to come straight off his couch and into the first day of August practice”
sorry, but here it comes: …concrete pete- wtheck???? that statement makes you sound like the type of meathead coach that no one likes. who would want their children practicing all summer long?? wtheck, if i may repeat myself. no, no, no and no. next!
Wheeler Alumn
August 3rd, 2011
10:02 am
I graduated from Wheeler High School in 2003, and the summer before my freshman year 2 football players died and I believe there was another student death at a neighboring high school. All three of these guys died due from heat related injuries. The first funeral should attend should not be that of your friend who was 14. It’s been 8 years and with every year the heat of summer only rises and this is just being brought up now? I hate to imagine how many other student athletes have lost their lives over the past 8 years and a solution is only being thought of now. Tragic.
karen
August 3rd, 2011
10:03 am
the son of man shall send forth his angels.
HEART SCREENS FOR TEENS
August 3rd, 2011
10:15 am
$58 for HEART SCREENS FOR TEENS…call them and have them come out to your school. NO COST to the school, parents just pay $58 for the screening..sometimes booster clubs help with the cost. This is an awesome service provided in the meemory of a young football player…Ryan Boslet.
http://www.heartscreensforteens.com
livininatl
August 3rd, 2011
10:22 am
Concrete Pete …you are the exact reason many of these kids do not speak up when their body is telling them there is something wrong. Even a child in shape and prepared can suffer heat issues in extreme temps. BUT..you weak coaches that spew this nonsense scare the crap into them and they don’t want to speak up even when they know something is not right. So what do they do they ‘tough” it out for you…a weak coach that is out to proves something at the expense of a child.
BTW..hubbie played pro ball so I love sports just can’t stand the ignorant coaches that you have to deal with that don’t have a clue what they are doing!
Robin
August 3rd, 2011
10:25 am
IF football season can’t be delayed until Oct 1, then how about ONLY practicing at NIGHT????? Don’t all football fields have lights? It really doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize practicing at NIGHT would be safer………..or does it?????
Concrete Pete
August 3rd, 2011
10:26 am
so tired of negativity…. yawn… : YOU are exactly the type of parent that is the root of the problem. “who would want their kid practicing all summer long?” Notice I did not say PRACTICE. I said conditioning. Just something to be sure the kids are out of the house and are being acclimated to the weather. Parents like you don’t want to take time out of your precious schedule to take the kids to work out or don’t want it interfering with your beach trip. You need to forfeit some of your selfish wishes and take care of your kid and support them before you worry about their extra-curricular activities interfering with your agenda.
And yes, I was a coach. During the 90’s. And since you brought it up that I sounded like a “meathead” and a coach “that no one liked”, I’ll point out that I have kids (men now) I coached to this day, many from poor, inner city areas stay in touch with me and have said that without my influence on them and my attention to their lives, they would not have made it. 2 are now in the NFL, Several are in law enforcement, several are teachers and coaches themselves.
senoiadawgs
August 3rd, 2011
10:34 am
My two cents here. Growing up in middle/south ga playing on a power house team in the early to mid 90’s it was much hotter down there and much more humid. Every day in August was just like today. I remember it well. We got 1 water break during summer practices non in spring practice. And we ran and ran and full pads all the time. During hell week we slept in the hot gym lifted weights early morning, conditioning next, practice next, weights and conditioning again and practice again.
I’m not a scientist but I do know that in all my years in school we never had 1 heat related issue and it didn’t matter hot it was we proceeded to practice and condition the same year after year. it was a proven winning method.
I am convinced as some of the other posters it’s not the heat or the amount of water breaks. It’s the fact that kids these days sit inside all summer long and do nothing and then bam they are out there in the heat and it gets them. You just can’t do that.
so tired of the negativity...yawn...
August 3rd, 2011
10:36 am
concrete pete, no…actually, i am not the type of parent that you apparently fear/hate. i was always a team mother, i fed nutritional meals to the entire high school football team and the coaches each week. i stand by your being a meathead, if you were not you would know that as far as conditioning goes, parents of athletes ensure they stay in shape.
livininatl
August 3rd, 2011
10:42 am
…this is exactly why we have issues…you have men on here that are not doctors, trainers or even properly trained saying it’s not the heat…it’s the kids..
.I don’t care if you played football in HS…were a stud…great coach…players in the NFL…blah…blah..blah…you are NOT properly trained and you don’t know what you are talking about.
MARK
August 3rd, 2011
10:42 am
THIS KINDA STUFF IS WHY I’M PUSHING MY SUPER ATHLETIC 10 YR OLD TO GOLF,WHEN IT’S TO HOT OR THUNDER AND LIGHTENING I AM THE ONE THAT GETS HIM TO SAFETY NOT SOME BONE HEAD COACH MAKING THE CALL, THESE COACHES ARE IDIOTS FROM TEE BALL ALL THE WAY UP.BE CAREFUL AND SPEAK UP! DON’T SIT BACK AND LET SOMETHING HAPPEN. I HAD BEEN THE BAD GUY MANY TIMES SNATCHING MY CHILD OFF THE FIELD AT PRACTICE. I’M THROUGH WITH’EM
Former Gwinnett Football Player
August 3rd, 2011
10:45 am
This is absurd. I played football in Gwinnett County for 8 years. Yes, it got hot during football practice but these kids today aren’t nearly as in shape as we were in the early 2000s. As many of the ignorant masses read this article they may not be taking into account the preparation that is required even before the start of fall football practice. I was up every weekday busting my behind in agility drills, weight lifting and conditioning. This was to prepare you for the hot months (July and August). Also, the staff did everything they could to prevent practicing in the hottest parts of the day. 7am to 1pm were the practice times (two-a-days). Before and after practice we would weigh in and have to drink water until we got back to that weight after practice. These kids are not doing what they should and are out-of-shape when these grueling practices start. I think this is a problem with authority (aka parents) when kids are out of shape when practice rolls around. I feel bad for those affected, but look at more specific facts rather than the heat and air quality. Also, point the finger at doctors who allow youngsters to pass physicals when they probably shouldn’t. It isn’t hotter today or more grueling, as the writer here asserts. What does she know? Did she play football? Or is this a softer generation getting the same treatment and complaining about it more? Get back to playing football and don’t let the ones who should on a computer somewhere play. This is FOOTBALL not some other sport where you can skate by doing the bare minimum. IF YOU SLACK OR GO LESS THAN 100% YOU WILL GET HURT!! (that’s the speech we got everyday before practice)
Philosopher
August 3rd, 2011
10:45 am
@Concrete Pete: I am greatly relieved to see the “was a coach at one time”. We do not need any more block-head coaches…we need educated coaches willing to develop coaching plans and strategies that incorporate science, fact, and common sense….I’m sure the parents of these kids would absolutely not agree that their children were “wussified”! Also, I was not aware that being a football player was a prerequisite to leading a nation, either. I’m pretty sure that some of our greatest leaders did so without having had footbal practice in Mississippi in August….
Former Gwinnett Football Player
August 3rd, 2011
10:52 am
@so tired of the negativity…yawn…:
Really? Who wants their kids practicing all summer long? At this point in your child’s life it is their decision, NOT YOURS. If they CHOOSE to be there then it shouldn’t be a problem getting them to do what they are supposed to do. However, with parents like you, who say they shouldn’t practice all summer, you sir or ma’am are the problem. Football is a very demanding sport and is not for the weak or faint of heart. Practicing for that long is what they do at all of the competitive levels. Hey, guess what? The first COMPETITIVE level is high school. So guess what you have to do to prepare for it? TRAIN ALL SUMMER LONG!! I do feel for these rare cases, but c’mon folks look at the facts.
Concrete Pete
August 3rd, 2011
10:56 am
“Philosopher”: If you read my post, you would see that I’m stressing science (nutrition, hydration), fact and common sense (being acclimated before you begin workouts in the August heat). YOU sir or madam are the problem, not today’s kids. YOU make excuses for your kids, and excuses won’t work in the real world. They may in your “save the whales” world.
baby
August 3rd, 2011
10:57 am
How many kids have to die before people realize this is a problem?
Put aside 20 years, this is a problem now. Let’s deal with it now before any more children die from the heat. We can’t protect children/athletes from everything, but this is something we can do something about.
Philosopher
August 3rd, 2011
10:59 am
There IS no excuse for children to die in order to play a game!
baby
August 3rd, 2011
11:00 am
@Former Gwinnett Football Player
What’s your evidence to support either of these children were not in some sort of training before they started their official football practice. Way to blame the teens and their parents without any actually evidence to support your claims…
MARK
August 3rd, 2011
11:01 am
I’D LIKE TO HEAR ALL OF THESE PRO FOOTBALL FOLK DEFEND THESE NEW FINDINGS ABOUT HEAD INJURIES ASSOCIATED WITH FOOTBALL,HOW ABOUT THE LIFESPAN OF A PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER IS LESS THAN FIFTY YEARS OLD! NOT MY KID!
so tired of the negativity...yawn...
August 3rd, 2011
11:02 am
Former Gwinnett Football Player , August 3rd, 2011, 10:52 am
as you are a former player and apparently did not go Pro, exactly what is your point?? you are a blockhead as well, competively! and my child is a college graduate, so my concern is not for my child, but for the community of students who play football today. #whatelsedoyouhave?
Concrete Pete
August 3rd, 2011
11:06 am
And the soccer moms have taken over the blog! Minivans and Starbucks for all!
William Henry Prewitt
August 3rd, 2011
11:08 am
An article stated that over 32,000 boys played high school football in Georgia last season.
These were the first players to die in 5 seasons. This means only 2 deaths have occurred
involving 160,000 players during this time period. More children die as a result of car wrecks
than on football field. My heart breaks for the families involved but we need to refrain from a
witch hunt on high school athletics by jealous academics trying to push their agendas.
Truth be known….there were more deaths from 1930 through 1985 than during last 20 years.
The difference is the 24 hour news cycle with internet and cable TV giving the public access
to information that was kept under wraps during previous generations.
Please allow me to address the comment that many players haven’t conditioned during the
summer leading up to the start of 2-a-day practices. The responsibility lies with the player to
stay in shape…eat right…and stay well hydrated as he prepares for grueling practices that will
be challenging both physically and mentally.
In closing…these young men chose to play football and were well aware of the risks involved.
The coaches can monitor players on the field but parents need to be aware of their childrens
health before allowing them to step on field.
JoeV
August 3rd, 2011
11:11 am
@Mark
Your Caps Lock is on…
livininatl
August 3rd, 2011
11:12 am
Parents take note that it is often men like Former Gwinnett Football Player & Concrete Pete that coach your child at the HS level…these men never played beyond HS and live in the glory “back in the day” days when they were the HS stud…they have no formal training and don’t have a clue how coaches treat their investments (athletes) at a higher level when they cannot afford to lose them.
so tired of the negativity...yawn...
August 3rd, 2011
11:13 am
wow, prewitt, ONLY two children have died in GA over a 5 year period, (am not sure about that, i know i have read that kids have died within the last 2 years, and if not in GA- definitely in the US) ONLY TWO CHILDREN HAVE DIED AND THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO PLAY SPORTS. question: if one of the two had been yours…would you still say ‘ONLY TWO?’
Concerned fotball parent
August 3rd, 2011
11:14 am
the fact is the average July and August the last couple of years is 6-8 degress higher than it was in the 70’s and 80’s. We’ve had more successive days this year in the 90’s than in the 30 years I’ve been living here. That coupled with the fact kids are bigger faster and stronger than when I played has alot to do with it. Some of the fields are now Astroturf which also raises the on field temprature by approx 10 degrees. Going back to school in early August is insane. The School board memebrs should be made to ride the buses in the afternoons like the kids do. Start after labor day , get out in June like many if not most states do.
JoeV
August 3rd, 2011
11:16 am
@William Henry Prewitt
“witch hunt on high school athletics by jealous academics trying to push their agendas”
Really? Jealous? Sounds like you are still a high schooler yourself.
And you are going to compare these preventable (mostly) deaths to car accidents that are nearly impossible to prevent? Jebus.
somethings happening.....
August 3rd, 2011
11:27 am
i think it is a combination of things: earlier start dates for practice so weather is hotter, (as an earlier poster stated) more supplements and energy drinks being used that cause dehydration, and a generation that has spent much more time indoors on computers and video games than any generation before
Concrete Pete
August 3rd, 2011
11:31 am
Nice try liveinatl, but coaches are required to have degrees as well as be a board certified teacher. We were required to have certified CPR training and be knowledgeable on health issues, head and spinal injuries and heat related illness being stressed the most. I can’t speak for all teams, only mine, but we had a nurse present at every practice as well as an athletic trainer that could be on top of any potential problems.
Not all coaches are “ex-jocks” re-living glory days. Many truly love working with kids. Many kids like yours that you don’t have time to devote to them because of your work or social schedule. Be thankful for coaches, not hateful and negative toward them
kreedham
August 3rd, 2011
11:35 am
Another thing is the physicals. They’re in and out in 10 minutes. Physicals for hs athletes should be a little more detailed.
Dan E
August 3rd, 2011
11:37 am
I played football in the 80’s and my son played until he graduated high school. One of my biggest complaints with almost every football coach I have seen is the amount of running coaches put players through. I understand conditioning, but you don’t condition a 300 lb lineman the same way you would a 150 lb receiver. When I played,the lineman ran a few sprints but mainly they worked on footwork drills to make them quicker off the line. Big men need to be quick,smaller men need to be fast….there is a difference if you know anything about football. These kids who are dying are big,strong linemen who are being just driven into the ground by these coaches. Get these big guys into the weight room when it’s brutally hot outside and work on putting some mass on them so they aren’t overmatched on the line. It worked when I played and it can still work today.
Former Gwinnett Football Player
August 3rd, 2011
11:40 am
@so tired of the negativity…yawn…
Really? My point? My point was that it parents like you who endanger their children. This is simply the result of your attitude. That attitude being “why should they practice all summer long?” THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS SO THEY DON’T DIE!! How dense are you? As for me being a blockhead? I am in my third year of law school and yes I graduated college as well, with honors. If you allow your child to be a lazy lump on the couch then they will be more at risk to suffer from heat related maladies. Please before you poke and prod someone who will be paid to argue for a living please remember that you are a “team mom.” You are not a health professional, you never played football, from the sound of it your child never played a sport as grueling as football, and you sure cannot hold your own in an argument. The only reason people won’t argue with you is the “mother goose” syndrome. Let you children fly instead of trying to control every aspect of their lives. (Nutritious meals, etc.) Do you even know (without looking it up) how much water an average high school football player must ingest to re-hydrate after practice? Didn’t think so. This goes for you and for the readers at large: BEFORE YOU STEP ON THE FIELD YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO TAKE ON WHAT IS THROWN AT YOU!! (oh yeah, this what educated folk call a metaphor, tried to use it before but you didn’t get it)
P.S. And you obviously did not go Pro? How many Professional football players do you know that read and post on ajc.com? You are a detriment to society with your poorly thought out logic and aggressive nature. Stick to juice boxes and orange slices, not gassers and plyometrics.
Check it out
August 3rd, 2011
11:42 am
Cobb County School District has posted the following on their website:
NOTICE
Due to excessive heat index, all outside activities at Cobb County schools are cancelled between the hours of noon and 6:00 PM until further notice.
Posted 8/3/2011