The Arizona Interscholastic Association recently updated its guidelines regarding student athletes practicing/playing games in the extreme summer heat, with Fountain Hills Unified School District Athletic Director Willie Dudley adding that local programs already adhere to most of the new regulations.

The AIA recently spruced up what it refers to as its “heat acclimatization and exertional heat illness management policy,” geared toward properly preparing young athletes for competition in the heat, keeping them safe during activities, and then making sure they recover properly before returning to athletics following an incident.

Many of these guidelines are what Arizona coaches would likely call common sense these days, but putting them in writing serves as an extra protection in support of the health of both athletes and their coaches.

For instance, the guidelines now stipulate that, during the first five days of practice during a given season, athletes should only participate in a single practice per day lasting no more than three hours. For sports that involve protective gear, like football, only helmets should be worn for the first three days of practice.

After the initial five days of more light practices, the next nine days can incorporate two practices per day, with a single practice day to follow. After the first full week of practice, the AIA’s policy says that workouts can move to full padding and full contact.

The remainder of the policy covers items such as a recommendation that an athletic trainer be handy, that water is available before, during and after all workouts, that athletes should be educated on the amount of liquids they need to stay safe and that, in the case of a heat stroke, an athlete should take a week off from workouts and be cleared by a doctor before returning to practice.

“Anything we can do to make it safer for our athletes when it’s hot is so vital,” Dudley said. “It’s important to make sure we’re doing what is necessary to get our kids in shape and prepared. A lot of the time we would hope that they come in already ready, but that’s not a very safe assumption.”

Dudley said that much of the process outlined by the AIA is already in place locally.

“As an Arizona coach, we know it’s hot,” he said. “But if you do things correctly, you can still get the work done.”

Dudley said that the Falcons put a big focus on hydration before, during and after workouts/competition.

“Again, you just have to be careful,” Dudley said. “There are days when it gets so hot, we just don’t practice outside. Better to avoid it.”

Athletic trainers are on-hand during varsity practices and games, ready to offer assistance in the event of an incident. As for his coaching staff, Dudley said proper training in relation to heat and hydration was already reiterated earlier this year.

“Back in the day, coaches used to basically say, if you do something right, you can have some water,” Dudley said. “That’s so old-school and unsafe. There’s a danger there.

“It’s a tragedy waiting to happen if you don’t take care of this kind of thing. There should never be a kid or coach who does not have access to water. All of this, it’s just about keeping people safe.”