ST. LANDRY PARISH — EUNICE, La. — While many students are spending summer break relaxing, members of the Eunice High School football team are already back on the field preparing for the upcoming season.
Players have been taking part in morning workouts that include stretching, conditioning drills and hurdle exercises as coaches work to get the team ready for fall football.
With summer temperatures high across South Louisiana, coaches say keeping athletes safe in the heat is one of their top priorities.
“It gets pretty warm, but we take the proper precautions for these guys,” said Eunice High Head Football Coach Andre Vijay. “We come out early in the morning before it gets to the hottest part of the day.”
Vijay said the coaching staff emphasizes hydration, proper nutrition and adequate rest to help athletes train safely. Players are encouraged to drink water and sports drinks with electrolytes and to tell coaches immediately if they start feeling overheated, dizzy or lightheaded.
The school also uses several measures to reduce the risk of heat-related illness.
“We take breaks. We put them in the shade. We have cooling fans. We’re letting them hydrate,” Vijay said. “It’s a scary thing. You hear about things across the state or across the nation that happen to these kids, so you don’t want it to happen on your home turf.”
Senior Tyler Coward, a defensive lineman and center for the Bobcats, said staying hydrated has become a routine part of summer training.
“I hydrate a lot — water and Gatorade, electrolytes,” Coward said.
Coaches say taking precautions now is critical as high temperatures are expected to continue through the summer and into the start of football season.
The Bobcats will continue offseason workouts in the weeks ahead as they prepare for fall camp and the 2026 season.
