With Summer around the corner a concern rises among parents and students; “summer heat.” A large majority of high school sports teams practice at school in the summer with temperatures reaching as high as 120 F. For those who live in other states, they find this weather to be extreme, although people who live in SoCal have become accustomed to the heat.

It is unimaginable for most when they think about playing sports in the scorching sun, but for southern California high school athletes it is quite normal. Football, soccer, lacrosse, cross country, golf, and tennis are the sports that are experiencing this heat the most. Players and coaches are very focused and motivated when practicing that they forget about the dangers of practicing in the hot and dry weather.

Many players experience dehydration and fatigue during games and practice due to the extra exertion of energy.  This can cause heat exhaustion which can lead to heat stroke which can be detrimental to a player. Hunter Talbott, a current senior on the Esperanza Varsity Cross Country team states, “We don’t get a lot of breaks, but we stop for a quick drink of water after a few miles.” Legally if the weather is 95F or higher there is a supposed to be a mandatory 10 minute water break for every 30 minutes of practicing.

For other students like football or soccer players, playing on the turf field can be extremely difficult because the heat is more intense. In an interview with a lacrosse player at Esperanza, she expressed her concern with how hot the turf gets. “The turf gets 10-15 times hotter so if it’s a hundred degrees outside then it feels like it’s 110”.

With the pressure that is put on athletes and high school sports, it is understandable that students are hesitant to ask for breaks. It is important for the safety of students to be granted water breaks and time to breathe.