Triple digit heat dangerous for student athletes - KNOE 8 News; KNOE-TV; KNOE.com |

MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - It's team practice kick-off time for many high school football teams and with temperatures hitting triple digits, the heat can be tough for the student athletes. "As soon as you walk out, the humidity is so high, it just sticks to you all day, there is no getting away from it." Cole Norton is a senior on River Oaks football team,
he like thousands of other student athletes will take to the fields in August to prepare for the fall season. But with temperatures nearing the triple digits, the heat can be dangerous and even deadly for the athletes. "I think the most important thing you have to do is hydrate." said Robert Hannah, River Oak's Head Football Coach.

Knowing 20 football players have died from heat stroke across the country since 2006., the coach says he's doing everything possible make sure that doesn't happen here. "Our coaches are watching the kids, the kids know if something is wrong, they let us know, we do the best we can." said Hannah. The Center for Disease Control say heat stroke sickens more than 9,000 student athletes each year with football players at the highest risk.

Which is one of the reasons, Coach Hannah holds practice in the morning before the hottest part of the day. "When we come out here at first, our first session is 80 degrees when we start and it slowly warms up throughout the day." said Luke Soignier and despite the sun glaring down, the team will continue practicing throughout the month. Norton hopes the team's hard work will pave the way to a winning season. "We're going to go out and give it our all, we have a strong winning tradition here and I don't see it stopping anytime soon." said Norton.

Staying hydrated is the most important way to keep yourself safe in this heat, whether you're in the stands or on the field.