How to Stay Heat Safe in Youth Sports: 5 Easy Tips

It is 95 degrees. The humidity is thick. And you have 40 kids on a turf field for afternoon practice. What happens next could be the difference between a great practice and a trip to the emergency room. In youth sports, heat safety is exactly that important.

Yet every summer, young athletes land in the hospital because the adults in charge were not ready. In fact, the CDC reports that heat illness during practice and competition is a leading cause of death and disability among young athletes in the United States.

After more than 50 years protecting youth sports programs at Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance, we have learned that the best insurance is prevention. So here are five heat safety tips every league director, camp operator, and coach should have in place before the temperature climbs.

First, do not leave it to individual coaches to decide when it is too hot. Instead, write a policy that sets clear temperature and heat index thresholds for changing or canceling activities.

For example, your policy might say that at a heat index of 104 degrees or higher, you suspend all outdoor activities. Between 90 and 104, you shift to a modified schedule with water breaks every 15 minutes. Put it in writing, share it with every coach and volunteer, and follow it every time.

Next, aim for early morning and late evening. Those are your best windows. Avoid practices or games during peak heat, usually between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in summer.

Of course, field availability can make this tricky. Still, young athletes regulate heat less efficiently than adults. So adjusting the schedule is one of the simplest ways to cut risk.

Schedule a break every 15 to 20 minutes. Make it non-negotiable. Build it into the practice plan, rather than something coaches recall when a kid looks tired. Keep water available at all times, and encourage athletes to drink even when they say they are not thirsty.

After all, kids often miss the early signs of dehydration. That is exactly why the adults must build it into the routine.

Every coach, assistant, and volunteer should know the warning signs. Watch for heavy sweating that suddenly stops, dizziness, nausea, confusion, a rapid heartbeat, and hot, dry skin. They should also know heat exhaustion from heat stroke, because heat stroke is a medical emergency.

If a child shows signs, stop activity at once. Move them to a cool area. Apply cool water or ice to the neck, armpits, and groin. Then call 911 if symptoms are severe. Do not wait to see if it improves. For a related response plan, read our guide on what to do when a player gets hurt.

Even with the best plan, injuries can still happen. Excess accident medical coverage through Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance helps pay a participant’s medical bills when they get hurt during a covered activity, heat illness included. It fills the gap beyond personal health insurance. And if a child has no health plan, it can serve as primary coverage.

In short, that safety net gives you one less thing to worry about when the temperature spikes. Concussions and other injuries deserve the same planning, as our post on protecting young athletes from concussions explains.