OSU Football Deals with Heat
Filed by Ben Allen in Local News.
August 8, 2011
The sweltering heat hasn’t kept Oklahoma State University’s football team off the practice field, but there are some changes. Players are out on the turf at 7:30 AM instead of the usual 8:30 start time. And the training staff is turning to creative ways to get players attention about staying hydrated. Hanging over urinals in the bathroom is a color coded system for players to figure out if they need fluids.
“It’s hot, and the bottom line is, is we have to practice. We have a game in thirty some odd days. We have x amount of days to get in x amount of practices,” said John Stemm, Director of Athletic Training at Oklahoma State University.
But the heat has already caused problems for schools from as far east as Georgia. Oklahoma State’s training staff can take all the necessary precautions, but heat-related issues will likely still arise.
“It’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of when and we’re going to be ready for it,” said Stemm.
With Head Coach Mike Gundy reminding players to hydrate at the end of every practice, Stemm says they hope to stop problems before they start.
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