Hot weather has Iowa high school football teams scrambling to figure out practices in prep for Week 1 games

CEDAR RAPIDS — You either go really early or you go really late. Or you stay inside.

Those have been the options for high school football teams around Iowa this week.

A stretch of the steamiest weather this summer has hit just in time for Week 1 of the season. Of course.

It is making schools learn all about new heat stress safety protocols instituted by the Iowa High School Athletic Association for fall outdoor sports football, cross country and golf.

“I trust the guidelines,” said Marion Coach Michael Joyner. “The professionals that have the time to research and provide guidance to coaches, schools and training staffs are the ones who should be making the recommendations. It takes the burden of making the decisions out of the coaches’ hands.”

Marion waited until after 7:30 Monday night to get its practice in as it prepared for its season opener Friday night at home against Clear Creek Amana. That’s been the norm for a lot of programs.

Wait until the sun is about to set or has set.

A school’s training staff, athletics director or another administrator must constantly monitor what is the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature. Different than a heat index, the WBGT takes into account “direct sunlight, water vapor capacity, cloud coverage” and other things, including the actual air temperature, of course.

The IHSAA says schools must use a WBGT monitoring device for readings every 20 to 30 minutes, with activities adjusted accordingly. Depending on the WBGT, protocols include things such as mandatory water breaks after a certain amount of activity time.

In football, athletes may not be allowed to wear helmets and pads. If the WBGT reaches 89.7 degrees, no outdoor practice whatsoever is allowed.

“That device is pretty slick,” said North Linn Coach Jared Collum. “It gives you a number, then you go to the chart, and it tells you exactly what you can and what you can’t do. I like it. I like everything being cut and dry.”

“The old school in me is thinking when have we become so soft?” said Cedar Rapids Prairie head coach Kyle Knock, whose team opens Friday at Cedar Falls. “But I know heat-related incidents are the leading cause of death among high school athletes. I kind of joked last night with my wife that this is the only time this summer it has been 97 degrees.”

Prairie practiced Monday morning at 5:45 to beat the heat and was set to practice Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Cedar Rapids Xavier was another team that practiced as the sun was about to rise.

“It was a little slow to start, but once we woke up, got it rolling, I got the music cranked up, they got after it,” Knock said. “It was good.”

Some schools didn’t get outside at all, deciding to use their gymnasiums for indoor practice. Cedar Rapids Jefferson practiced Monday at the iKhonics indoor sports facility in southwest Cedar Rapids.

Its freshman team didn’t practice.

“The guidelines are what they are, and we have to abide by them,” said Coach Ed Miles. “I know they are doing it for the safety of the players, and that’s great. We just have to adjust and adapt.”

Game preparation time this week is even less at Springville, as the Orioles have a Thursday night home game against Waterloo Christian. On a positive note, Springville was one of a very few 8-Player teams that got in a game last week during Week 0.

Head coach Joe Martin said his team watched film and did “some mental mindset (stuff)” Monday. It anticipated doing game prep Tuesday indoors, with Wednesday being a wait-and-see deal.

“I guess I will always side on the side of the health of our athletes,” Martin said. “I know it may seem different, but people thought the same way with concussion protocols when those came out. If there is a reason we are doing it, and if this is for the safety of those involved, I don’t mind the rules. It may not be convenient for some, but just like COVID or anything else, we find ways to adapt and play football.”

By the way, games are not affected by the new guidelines, though rest and water breaks for players will be taken throughout them, as has been the norm in hot weather.

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