SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — As high school sports continue to practice or compete across the state of Kansas, the temperatures continue to rise. Several places have seen records broken with high temperatures or high heat indices.
Several schools across the state have had to make adjustments to when or how practices are conducted because of the excessive heat that continues to throttle the Sunflower State.
How are athletic trainers, athletic directors, and coaches determining when to practice?
Last fall, the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) released a new recommended activity modification policy based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT).
Thanks to a grant from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in February of 2022, all 354 KSHSAA member schools were equipped with a WBGT device at no cost to the school.
The device is an electronic meter that provides a more precise measurement of apparent temperature than heat indices by accounting for environmental factors such as humidity, wind speed and solar radiation.
Click here to see the policy that the KSHSAA released based on research done by the KSHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.
As of this morning, several area schools have made adjustments to their fall sports introductions by changing times/dates, or canceling all together.
CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app.
CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.