Keeping Athletes Safe in the Heat Starts Before Practice Begins

Every summer, as temperatures climb and student-athletes return to fields, courts, tracks, and gyms, I think about one message I wish every athlete, parent, and coach would take seriously: heat safety is not something to start thinking about when practice begins. It starts hours, and often days, before an athlete ever laces up their shoes.

As a certified athletic trainer with St. James Sports Medicine, I spend a lot of time helping athletes perform at their best. But performance can never come before safety. In hot weather, hydration, nutrition, rest, and early recognition of warning signs are...