It is the end of Summer. Athletes at dTHS have been competing with more than just other teams: they have been fighting the heat. According to the Associated Press, higher temperatures are quickly leading to dehydration and heat-related illnesses if players do not stay hydrated and take breaks. 

Experts in sports medicine say that heat and humidity make it harder for the body to cool off, which can cause slower reaction times and less endurance. For athletes who spend hours on outdoor fields or courts, the weather can turn a normal practice into a potentially dangerous and challenging one.

Goldie M. (’26), tennis player at de Toledo High School, explained how the extreme heat feels during her long matches: “Tennis courts make the air 10 degrees hotter,” she said, “because it’s already such an intense sport mentally and physically. It’s hard to maintain focus and energy throughout a long game.” 

Goldie M. has had to make her warm up shorter, and when she is doing sprints with the team they have to do less to be safe. Marmur says that the heat can drain her motivation, but once she starts playing, her focus comes back. This shows how determined and hard working athletes have to be when the heat conditions are so brutal.

Some teams are getting a little creative with staying prepared when practices are being canceled. Daniel G. (’26), a flag football player for de Toledo, said that his team uses classrooms to go over gameplans then they go into the weight room to workout together. “ My team and I make sure to get enough water breaks, and if we need to, we’ll go half speed while running through plays just to be safe while on the field,” he said. Geft also said that individual players try to train early in the morning so they can get used to the weather while avoiding the hottest part of the day.

For sports that rely on teamwork, missing practice can hurt more than lack of fitness. Varsity baseball player, Jona Mass, pointed out that skipping practices makes it harder for the team to build chemistry and learn to communicate on the field. “We are unprepared if we stay on this pace,” he said, urging coaches to move workouts indoors or into shaded areas instead of canceling practice. 

As the season moves on, dTHS athletes and coaches will need to find smart ways to stay cool and safe so they can compete.

Sources:

AP News. “Extreme Heat Is Impacting Sports and Athletes Are Struggling to Stay Safe.” 

Associated Press, 16 July 2023, https://apnews.com/article/heat-sports-hydration-stroke-06ae07d432c11e768cfbd39489bcd01e.

Intermountain Healthcare. “What Is the Effect of Heat and Humidity on Athletic Performance?” 

Intermountain Healthcare Blogs, 20 June 2023, 

https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/what-is-the-effect-of-heat-and-humidity-on-athl

etic-performance.

International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine. “Heat Stress and Athletic Performance.” 

ClinMed Journals, vol. 8, no. 235, 2022, 

https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/ijsem/international-journal-of-sports-and-exercise-me

dicine-ijsem-8-235.php?jid=ijsem.