Should youth sports continue during heat waves?
A high-school friend sent me a note this weekend. As she watched her child play baseball in 105 degrees she wondered if they should even be there.
“Thought of you today as we sat out in the heat playing baseball. In between games we had a discussion about being good parents etc… I asked, at what point am I failing to be a good parent by letting my child play games in this type of heat?”
I wrote my friend back that I didn’t even think about that because kids in Arizona play in crazy heat all the time. Now granted it’s a dry heat. And truly it does make a difference.
I think the leagues here play a lot at night and early in the morning. All our swim meets start at 7 a.m. and I see the basketball teams in the park when it’s completely dark. They move soccer inside for the summer. I’m not sure when the baseball games are held.
Should the youth leagues be canceling games, moving game to the night time or to later in the summer after the heat wave passes? Is it irresponsible to let kids play in 105-degree heat? Should parents be protesting? Should they not let their kids play in that kind of heat even if the leagues won’t postpone play? What high temp is OK to play in?
Did your league change any games based on the heat? Did they offer more breaks or more water? If it’s still bad next weekend, will you let your kids play?
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23 comments Add your comment
Jeff
July 2nd, 2012
7:16 am
I recall playing baseball in downpours. Played football 100 miles from myrtle beach with a helmet on my head in August.
I still use many of those lessons today.
Augusta
July 2nd, 2012
7:55 am
No they shouldn’t. When temps get up over 95, it’s time to stop outdoor activities.
FCM
July 2nd, 2012
7:56 am
Summer should be for summer sports…swimming, diving, sailing, and water skiing. No, pro bass fishing is not a sport. However, since I love the boys of summer I will include baseball. :)
Rich
July 2nd, 2012
8:22 am
No outdoors over 95 degrees? So no one should ever do anything outside in Arizona in the summer (it hits 96 today at 10 am in AZ)? I understand taking precautions, but 95 certainly seems a bit low.
Augusta
July 2nd, 2012
9:04 am
Try 95 in the ATL with 100% humidity…..No thank you.
Really?
July 2nd, 2012
9:40 am
Rich – the difference between AZ heat and GA heat is humidity (as Augusta mentioned). 95 degrees in Atlanta with humidity over 90% can make it almost hard to breathe.
Denise
July 2nd, 2012
10:11 am
I don’t know how you would alter a baseball game to allow for additional breaks without changing the momentum of the game. That is, unless you mean longer breaks during on/off field changes. I think that would be necessary to keep the kids safe because they still have to wear long pants for safety. There should be someone at each game (how I don’t know) that can recognize signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke so that if a kid gets in trouble they can get help immediately. Other sports that can be, should be brought indoors.
missnadine
July 2nd, 2012
10:20 am
I think some sports should not take place in high temp/high humidity. This is particularly true with football due to the heavy equipment. Every summer at least one kid dies in the Atlanta area, and I think almost all of the deaths are football players.
Young@heart
July 2nd, 2012
10:44 am
This is/has been a touchy subject in my household for years. I personally think sports in extreme cold or heat are insane. However, my oldest is playing this summer before he starts college baseball. I was complaining that it is too hot to play and he told me “It’s not that bad”.
Also, it was a double header 12 & 4pm games Saturday in 105 heat! He has been playing since he was 4 so I think he’s use to the GA heat.
As a mom I want to swoop right in and protest, but my husband and sons ask me to let them play and none of them have dropped from the heat yet…but if they do….then Watch out!!
Thankfull the GHSA has stepped in to regulate for School Football, FINALLY, I don’t believe alot of the coached were paying enough attention to the athletes until it was too late.
Denise
July 2nd, 2012
10:54 am
@Young@Heart…you say “watch out” for if something happens to your family from playing in the heat. Who better “watch out”? Haven’t your husband and kids agreed to play in the heat? Actually ASKED to be allowed to play in the heat without your interference? I’d say that they are knowingly taking the risks themselves so no one else should be held accountable if something happens to them.
Augusta
July 2nd, 2012
11:20 am
Denise, as parents, we are held accountable for our childrens actions. If Young@heart’s boy was 7 and he insisted on playing and something horrible happened, who are they going to turn to first? That’s right, they will look at the parents and hold them accountable. A 7 year old has no idea what the consequences are to playing in 100+ degree heat And they’ll say things like ’she shouldn’t have let him play”, etc……a 7 year cannot be held accountable in a situation like that. The parent needs to step in and say NO, you are not going to play in 100 degree heat. The consequences are not worth it. Now it’s different if its a 17 year old kid…..they are more likely to understand the consequences.
I would not allow my child to play outdoor sports over 95 degrees. It just isn’t worth it!!! No sport is or team participation is worth my child’s health.
Young@heart
July 2nd, 2012
11:25 am
When I say Watch out…I will 1st torture myself by listenening to my over macho husband who insists its safe, …then I will lobby and cry to all other parents who think its safe.
Young@heart
July 2nd, 2012
11:31 am
Sorry meant to say FOR listening to my Macho husband who insisted its safe
Jessica
July 2nd, 2012
12:04 pm
It may be a little less convenient, but why not have games/practices early in the morning? It’s a lot cooler outside then.
Denise
July 2nd, 2012
12:54 pm
Augusta – I didn’t mean that the KID would be accountable. I realized I miscommunicated when I reread but I had to leave before I could revise. I meant that the parent had to be accountable for agreeing to allow the kid to play.
Young@Heart – I understand what you are saying now. I was confused. I was thinking you’d go after the coach, league or whomever else after you just said you agreed to it. I don’t know you (via the blog of course) so I don’t know if you are “that mom” that blames everyone else for her own decision. Kind of like when we were talking about the sunscreen and folks were putting the ownership of keeping the kid safe on the teacher when the parent let the kid leave the house with no sunscreen on in the first place. I’m glad I was wrong. Thank you.
Augusta
July 2nd, 2012
12:58 pm
@Denise – thank you for clearing that up….
missnadine
July 2nd, 2012
1:19 pm
I think the kids feel so much pressure, fom the coach, their fellow players, and even the parents to play in extreme heat, and of course, boys do not want to be called “sissies”. Come to think of it, haven’t all heat-related sports deaths been boys?
Denise
July 2nd, 2012
1:26 pm
@Augusta – no problem. I have no problem admitting when I sound like a dumb@$$.
Stacey
July 2nd, 2012
1:56 pm
When I dropped my son off at camp Friday I asked the director to limit his outside and gym time due to the heat. My son has asthma and nose bleeds both of which are aggrevated by extreme heat. The gym is not air conditioned and though they have three huge attic fans, they seem to make the heat and humidity worse on days above 95 degrees. My son was embarassed when I first asked but when I picked him up he told me that they closed the gym at 11:00 because it was so hot and allowed them to watch movies (usually only allowed for special occasions). I also send a water bottle with him every day since the water there isn’t always cold. I didn’t allow him to play outside Saturday or Sunday and to my surprise he didn’t argue at all about it. I had to run an errand about 4:00 Saturday afternoon and there were no kids outside at all.
RJ
July 2nd, 2012
2:50 pm
That’s too hot and instead of watching her child play, she should’ve told him and the coach they were leaving. All I can say is thank goodness my son plays basketball!
Team Mom
July 4th, 2012
5:58 pm
Mu 5 year old just finished baseball a few weeks ago and is no conditioning for football 3 days a week. Practice starts at 6:30 so by the 2nd hour it has started to cool down. Not only that but the league he plays in is very structured. They have scheduled water breaks.
Jason
July 5th, 2012
5:57 pm
I don’t know what’s worse, the heat and humidity or the overwrought 21st century mommies that think they’re raising china dolls.
Jen
July 7th, 2012
9:29 am
Jason, try visiting an emergency room at any hospital but a children’s hospital specifically and tally how many china dolls are hooked up to intravenous fluids due to dehydration. Ask those parents what their children where doing during time so heat advisory and warnings and it will almost unanimously be, playing sports outside. Thank god for protective mothers that care about their children’s health and well being and not being a ‘team player’. You probably don’t do sunscreen either. Such a strong man.