Should kids practice high school football today? AQI, wet bulb can help
· Yahoo Sports
Is it too hot to allow your teen to participate in high school football practice?
Visit moryak.biz for more information.
Many high school football teams across New Jersey have already begun (or will soon begin) practice, and heat will play a factor.
Heat-related illnesses occurring during high school football practice can be exceedingly harmful — and even fatal.
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, exertional heat illness is the leading cause of preventable death and disability in high school athletics, and football has the highest risk among school sports.
And a recent NFHS summary of National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research data reported 42 exertional heat-stroke events among high school athletes over a recent 10-year period, including 18 deaths.
Fifteen of those deaths occurred in football.
With the backdrop of rising temps across the Garden State, here's how the Air Quality Index and wet bulb readings could impact practice this summer.
Why air quality matters during football practice
Parents, players and coaches can track local air quality conditions through AirNow, the federal government's official Air Quality Index website. The site provides current conditions and forecasts based on a user's location, helping families gauge whether outdoor activities may be appropriate.
AirNow uses a color-coded AQI scale to measure air pollution levels. Readings from 0 to 50 are considered good, while levels above 100 can pose risks for sensitive groups, including children and people with asthma. As AQI numbers rise, so does the potential for adverse health effects, particularly during strenuous activities such as football practice.
The AirNow website breaks down the Air Quality Index into six categories:
Daily AQI ColorLevels of ConcernValues of IndexDescription of Air QualityGreenGood0 to 50Air quality is satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.YellowModerate51 to 100Air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.OrangeUnhealthy for Sensitive Groups101 to 150Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is less likely to be affected.RedUnhealthy151 to 200Some members of the general public may experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.PurpleVery Unhealthy201 to 300Health alert: The risk of health effects is increased for everyone.MaroonHazardous301 and higherHealth warning of emergency conditions: everyone is more likely to be affected.Why wet bulb temperatures matter during football practice
Coaches, athletic trainers and weather experts increasingly monitor wet-bulb temperatures when evaluating conditions for outdoor practices.
Unlike a standard temperature reading, the measurement combines heat and humidity to gauge how effectively the body can cool itself through sweating. When wet bulb temperatures rise, the risk of heat-related illness also increases, particularly for athletes participating in strenuous activities such as football practice.
High temperatures combined with high humidity can make it difficult for players to shed heat, increasing the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and, in severe cases, heat stroke. Because football practices often involve intense physical activity and protective equipment, coaches and school officials closely monitor heat conditions before and during workouts.
Parents can check conditions using National Weather Service Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) tools. While many weather apps do not display wet-bulb readings, families can also monitor local heat alerts, forecasts and National Weather Service advisories to better understand when outdoor practice conditions may become hazardous.
What New Jersey's heat guidelines mean for players
New Jersey schools are required to follow heat-safety guidelines designed to protect student-athletes during practices and games.
Under the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association policy, schools use Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, or WBGT, readings to measure heat stress and must adjust activities as conditions worsen.
Depending on the WBGT level, practices may be shortened, additional hydration and rest breaks added, protective equipment removed, conditioning limited, or outdoor workouts canceled altogether when conditions become too dangerous.
Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending, breaking and service-related topics across the Mid-Atlantic region for the USA Today Network.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Should kids practice high school football today? AQI, wet bulb can help