UIL heat rules force North Texas football teams to adjust practices, postpone games

Across North Texas, middle and high school football teams are back on the field for a new season.

This year, new UIL rules are changing how teams determine when it's safe to practice in the heat.

The extreme heat has already forced one Mesquite ISD team to postpone its first game. 

Agnew Middle School had a game scheduled for Tuesday night, but after several consecutive days of extreme heat kept them from practicing outside in the afternoons, they decided to delay it. 

"When I told them about the canceling they were like nooo," Agnew Middle School Athletic Coordinator Brendan Campbell said. 

Campbell says it's the right decision. 

"They haven't had any exposure to heat exposure," he said. 

The wet-bulb globe temperature, or WBGT, factors into all of this. It looks at temperature, humidity, wind, and sun exposure. 

This year, Texas schools are required to use it to determine when extra safety precautions are needed for outdoor practices.

"Honestly, the changes that the UIL implemented we have already been following for many years.. and so for MISD it really hasn't changed a whole lot," Mesquite ISD Assistant Athletic Director Alex Figert said. 

Mesquite ISD's athletic staff says they use a phone app and a handheld heat-stress tracker on the field to get the most accurate readings. Depending on the reading, practices may have to be modified - adding breaks, reducing equipment, or cutting practice time.

"Beeping will go off when it hits the threshold of 92 degrees," Mesquite High School Head Athletic Trainer Yuri Ashley said. 

At that point, practice has to be held inside. 

"It's been tough trying to get the kids to focus inside the gym," Campbell said. "We can't really do tackling, full-speed things in the gym, so we have to do morning practices, which are tough as well." 

Coaches and athletic trainers say even though the heat stress tracker alerts them when outdoor conditions are dangerous, it doesn't tell them how their athletes are feeling. That's why they tell their athletes if anything ever feels off, stop. 

"Even the slightest things like feeling more tired than usual," Ashley said. "Sweating more than usual. More of a sense of thirst feeling. All those are very important."

For this team, following safety precautions is the highest priority, which is why Tuesday's game is now rescheduled for September 15th.

"They're really down about it," Campbell said.  "We have to do what's best for their own good."

Campbell says it's what it takes to keep his athletes safe.