IBERIA PARISH — As temperatures climb across Louisiana, coaches and trainers are raising the standard when it comes to protecting student-athletes from heat-related illnesses.
Elizabeth Thomason, the athletics trainer at Catholic High of New Iberia and chief operator at Louisiana Athletic Care, says safety starts with awareness.
“Make sure y’all are staying safe in this heat,” she said.
That’s where Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) comes in.
Considered the gold standard for measuring heat stress, WBGT goes beyond the typical thermometer. It takes into account ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle, direct sunlight, and even cloud cover. Schools and recreational facilities use those readings to decide what level of activity is safe for students to practice and perform.
“About 30 minutes before practice, we put it outside and start tracking and throughout practice we keep an eye on it,” Thomason explained. “It helps us to take in an average of what we’re dealing with and to be able to relay that to all of our coaches to let them know the conditions so that we can make all of the modifications needed.”
Some may wonder—why not just rely on the heat index? While the heat index measures how hot it feels when temperature and humidity combine, it doesn’t reflect the full picture. WBGT incorporates more environmental factors, giving coaches and trainers better information to adjust workouts safely.
With guidelines now in place, schools can move practices, shorten sessions, and modify training when conditions become dangerous to prevent heat exhaustion before it happens.
