Transcript:
At schools across the U.S., fall sports are underway, and many young athletes are working hard to show that they can excel on the field or court.
But Ashley Ward of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University says that should not prevent them from speaking up if they begin to feel ill on a hot day – for example, if they feel light-headed, nauseous, or fatigued.
Ward: “Heat illness can progress very rapidly.”
She says as climate change causes more extreme heat, young athletes are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness.
And the risks are often greatest early in the season, when it’s still hot out and they are not yet acclimated to intense workouts.
To keep kids safe, Ward says schools should slowly ramp up practice intensity in the fall, modify workouts if it’s dangerously hot, and develop emergency response plans ahead of time.
She says it’s also critical that coaches be trained to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illness and that players feel comfortable speaking up about how they’re feeling before it’s an emergency.
Ward: “And so it’s important that coaches set a culture that you don’t ignore pain.”
So athletes will know that they can be strong and tough while listening to their body and protecting it.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
