When is it too hot for youth sports?

[HHSTigerFan]

In the midwest, kids not real used to it.. I am in charge of a 5 and 6 year old flag football league, temp is current 100 with 110 heat index.. Too hot to play a game of 2 20 minute halves?

 

[jen1977]

Yep! I wouldn't bring a 5or 6year old to a game that wasn't cancelled in that heat.

 

[mhsjax]

In the midwest, kids not real used to it.. I am in charge of a 5 and 6 year old flag football league, temp is current 100 with 110 heat index.. Too hot to play a game of 2 20 minute halves?

IMHO it is.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Our school district doesn't let high school sports practice if it's that hot. This is in NC where they are more accustomed to that kind of heat. I think that everyone involved would be relieved to hear that you cancelled.

 

[Ceila]

Too hot. I would cancel.

 

[jackemail]

Our kids are used to it, but 100 or over cancels outdoor practice.

 

[Minnesota!]

My older son played in it last night, and tonight my niece is playing in it. I say keep em hydrated, and have them chill out if they need to.

I had my younger son with me, too, and I sent him to play at the playground. When he came back, I doused him with water and gave him ice cubes to chew on.

 

[SaraJayne]

DD had a softball game last night, has another one tonight and DS also has a baseball game tonight.

They are both well-hydrated and I will pull DD from the game if I need to and take her home (to air conditioning).

The heat index is currently around 100. They will both have plenty of water and shade available.

 

[SpecialK]

For 5 or 6 year olds, I'd cancel.

 

[mdsoccermom]

My 10 year old was in soccer camp all day in about 100 degree heat. We make sure he is well-hydrated, plus he keeps a cooling pad in his cooler to wrap around his neck when needed.

My 13 year old is supposed to have a soccer game on Sunday when it's supposed to be around 103. No word yet if it will be cancelled.

 

[minkydog]

At 5 or 6, I would not allow my child to play football when it's 100 degrees. Little children are extremely susceptible to heat exhaustiong and heat stroke(which can kill you.) I grew up in south Alabama, where 100 degree days are not uncommon. We didn't have air conditioning either, so we were used to heat. However, we didn't go outside and run around during the peak hours of the day, between 12 and 4, unless it was to go swimming or run through the sprinkler.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

Football starts here in July and even though the kids practice in the evening it is HOT (we are in VA) but the coaches are pretty good about giving water constantly and the kids are 6-14 in the league and I have not yet to see a kid pass out from the heat.

 

[mhsjax]

Football starts here in July and even though the kids practice in the evening it is HOT (we are in VA) but the coaches are pretty good about giving water constantly and the kids are 6-14 in the league and I have not yet to see a kid pass out from the heat.

You're lucky. We usually have 1 or 2 each season. They try and stay hydrated but sometimes they just can't handle the heat.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

You're lucky. We usually have 1 or 2 each season. They try and stay hydrated but sometimes they just can't handle the heat.

BUT I think you have the heat a little worse then us.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

When I was a camp director, we were required to severely limit activity (except water activities) when the heat index was 100+. I guess I don't get what there is in favor of having kids run around in heat like that?

 

[tvguy]

I was involved in Little League and even when we had a streak of 112 degree days, the games went on, with, of course, vigilence by the coaches to keep kids hydrated. I umpired some of those games, and I downed 3 16 ounce bottles of Gatorade and 4 16 ounce bottles of water, and sweat it all out.

Same with High School sports here, Football practice in the summer goes on no matter how hot.
Almost all schools are air conditioned here now, but good lord if the a/c breaks, the parents go nuts. I grew up here in the 60's before they had a/c in the schools and we survived just fine with common sense. I think we're getting soft in our old age.

 

[HHSTigerFan]

Well..... after attempting to cancel and getting too much griping, threw up my arms and they played, though my son stayed home..

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Football starts here in July and even though the kids practice in the evening it is HOT (we are in VA) but the coaches are pretty good about giving water constantly and the kids are 6-14 in the league and I have not yet to see a kid pass out from the heat.

When it comes to the risks of heat, I think there's a big difference between "real" football and "flag" football. It's been up to 100 here, and my middle schooler has been at football camp, but it's a no-pads camp. I wouldn't want him in full pads in the middle of the day in this heat, but I'm OK with him being outside in short/Tshirt with lots of water/gatorade and breaks in the air conditioning to watch game film or work in the weight room.

I'd be OK with a 40 minute football game for little ones, if there were lots of water breaks with someone watching to make sure they're actually drinking, and downtime mid game. Football isn't a sport with lots of sustained exercise, I think I'd be more comfortable with flag football in the heat than soccer.

 

[mhsjax]

I was involved in Little League and even when we had a streak of 112 degree days, the games went on, with, of course, vigilence by the coaches to keep kids hydrated. I umpired some of those games, and I downed 3 16 ounce bottles of Gatorade and 4 16 ounce bottles of water, and sweat it all out.

Same with High School sports here, Football practice in the summer goes on no matter how hot.
Almost all schools are air conditioned here now, but good lord if the a/c breaks, the parents go nuts. I grew up here in the 60's before they had a/c in the schools and we survived just fine with common sense. I think we're getting soft in our old age.

I don't know about your area, but in ours most of the schools don't have windows, so if the air goes, there is no ventilation what so ever. It was this way when I was in school. If the air went off or the power went out, they had a real problem.

 

[mhsjax]

BUT I think you have the heat a little worse then us.

Could be but you never know. I know there are actually places that are more hot and humid than Florida. Also after thinking about it, our guys that pass out are in full gear, not flag. I am sure that doesn't help the situation.