Updated:Heat Issues In Tennessee Will Be A Concern This Week For Football Players!

Due to the extreme heat across Tennessee several schools have pushed back their game-starts. Here’s what we have so far:

Games To be Played at 8pm

Columbia Central at Dickson County 8pm

Blackman at Stewarts Creek

Cannon County at Providence Christian

Community at Eagleville

Friendship Christian at Donelson Christian

Houston County at East Robertson

James Lawson at Sycamore

La Vergne at Siegel

Lebanon at Upperman

Rockvale at Smyrna

Watertown at Gordonsville

Games Moved to 7:30pm

East Nashville at Kenwood

Lawrence County at Loretto

Liberty Creek at White House

Maplewood at Battle Ground Academy

Northwest at Wilson Central

Cheatham County at Harpeth

Clarksville Academy at Ezell-Harding

Cornerstone at Forrest

East Hickman at White House-Heritage

Portland at Greenbrier

Riverdale at Henry County

Smith County at DeKalb County

Warren County vs. White County

Wayne County at Summertown

West Creek at Green Hill

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published a study in 2010 that stated heat illness is the leading cause of death and disability among high school athletes. According to the CDC, there are more than 9,000 heat illnesses among high school athletes annually.

This week’s forecast is HOT. Day temperatures in Tennessee are expected to be in the 90’s with heat indexes surpassing 100 degrees. The forecasted temperatures for the week is Tuesday at 94, 96 for Wednesday & Thursday and the highest temp on Friday of 97. The feels like temp for the week will be 104 degrees for each day in Middle Tennessee.

The TSSAA has practices in place for what’s expected this week across the state of Tennessee.

Each school is responsible for obtaining either a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature or Heat Index reading at the site of practices and competitions. Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) takes into account more environmental factors than heat index and should be a school’s first choice when evaluating conditions and planning activities. In the absence of a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature reading, a digital psychrometer or other instrument may be used at the site of the activity to measure the heat index. The use of a weather app on a cell phone is permissible to measure heat index if no other instrument is available to measure heat index at the site of the practice or competition.

A cold water immersion tub or other form of rapid on-site cooling should be available for all warm weather practices. If exertional heat stroke is suspected, use immersion for on-site cooling before transporting to the hospital. Access to water should be available to all athletes at all times.

WBGT 90 to 92 or Heat Index of 100 Degrees to 104 Degrees
Maximum practice time is 1 hour.
For All Sports: There must be 20 minutes of rest breaks distributed throughout the hour of
practice and no conditioning activities.
For Football: No protective equipment may be worn during practice that does not involve
contact.
Above 92.0 WBGT or Heat Index Above 104 Degrees
No outdoor practice. An outdoor practice cannot take place until WBGT level is 92.0 or below or heat index is 104 or below.

Interscholastic competitions, including preseason scrimmages and jamborees, must be
postponed in the absence of an appropriate health care professional (Certified Athletic Trainer,
Certified Nurse Practitioner, Physicians Assistant, Doctor of Medicine, Osteopathic Physician)
with access to a cold water immersion tub or other rapid on-site cooling method. Under no
circumstances can an outdoor practice take place in these conditions.