Renting a field for a game, a practice or a tournament brings up the same handful of heat questions every summer. Here are short, practical answers for coaches, organizers and field owners, so your group shows up with a plan and not just a booking.<\/p>\n
The group that books the field brings the plan. The owner provides the grass, the gate and usually the water. Your team decides who calls 911, who cools the athlete and who meets the ambulance. Settle that before the first whistle, not after someone goes down.<\/p>\n
Ask the owner, and most will say yes once they know what it is for. Plan where it will sit, close to the field and in the shade if you can, and how you will fill it and get ice there. Set it up before warm-ups so it is ready if you need it. The cooling station checklist<\/a> walks through the setup.<\/p>\n Early morning and evening are usually cooler than midday, and shade moves as the sun does. Check the forecast a day or two ahead, and if the day looks hot, ask the owner about a cooler slot before you lose the chance.<\/p>\n Follow the heat rules from your league, school or governing body, and know them before game day. Look at the forecast and the heat index, not only the temperature. When it is hot, add water breaks, rest in the shade, cut back on gear and shorten or move the session.<\/p>\n Watch for any athlete who is confused, stumbling, acting strange, or who suddenly stops and cannot keep going. Do not wait for them to ask for help. Treat it as an emergency right away.<\/p>\n Exertional heat stroke is 100% survivable when it is recognized fast and the athlete is cooled on the spot.<\/p>\n Take off whatever gear comes off quickly, but never delay cooling to remove gear.<\/p>\n Around 104\u00b0F, the body loses its ability to regulate its own temperature. Cooling on the spot is what brings it back, and every minute counts. That is why the tub belongs at the field, not at the hospital.<\/p>\n Give the 911 dispatcher the street address, the field number and the gate to use. Send one person to that gate to wave the crew in and walk them to the athlete. Big parks and complexes with several fields can be hard to find in a hurry, so this matters more than most people expect.<\/p>\n Ease them in. Players who are new, or who are back after time off, may not be used to the heat yet. The free acclimatization schedule<\/a> from National Stay Cool Day can help you build up time on the first hot weeks.<\/p>\n Run a short drill before the season and again before the hottest stretch, so everyone knows their job without thinking about it. The heat stroke drill<\/a> shows how.<\/p>\nWhat time of day should we book when it is hot?<\/h2>\n
How do we know when it is too hot to play?<\/h2>\n
What are the warning signs of heat stroke?<\/h2>\n
What do we do if an athlete goes down?<\/h2>\n
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Why cool first and transport second?<\/h2>\n
How do we help the ambulance find us?<\/h2>\n
What should be in the team bag?<\/h2>\n
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How do we get new players ready for hot days?<\/h2>\n
How do we practice the plan?<\/h2>\n
Where can we get a free emergency plan?<\/h2>\n