Heat illness is one of the most common risks in summer youth sports — and one of the most preventable. Cooling a player fast can be the difference between a scary afternoon and a tragedy. Here's how to stay ahead of it.
Why young athletes are more at risk
Kids aren't just small adults when it comes to heat. Relative to their size, they produce more body heat, they sweat less efficiently, and they take longer to acclimatize to hot conditions. Pile on heavy equipment, dark uniforms, and back-to-back tournament games, and a young athlete can overheat before anyone notices. Your job as a coach is to build the guardrails before the temperature spikes.
Watch the WBGT, not just the thermometer
Air temperature only tells part of the story. The gold-standard measurement is Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), which combines heat, humidity, sun, and wind into a single number that reflects the actual strain on the body. Humidity is the hidden danger — it stops sweat from evaporating, which is how the body cools itself.
A portable WBGT meter can cost as little as $25, and several free apps estimate it for your location. If you coach outdoors between May and October, treat one as standard kit.
Hydrate on a schedule, not on thirst
By the time a young athlete feels thirsty, they're already behind. Build hydration into the day instead of leaving it to chance:
Before: players should arrive hydrated — sipping water throughout the day before, aiming for pale-yellow urine by evening. During: water breaks every 15–20 minutes in the heat, with shade if you can find it. For any session over an hour, add an electrolyte drink to replace what sweat carries away. After: keep drinking to recover, especially between tournament games on the same day.
Ease into the heat
Acclimatization is the single most protective habit you have. The body adapts to heat gradually over a 10–14 day period, so the first hot sessions of a season or a tournament week should be the lightest. Phase in equipment, keep early practices shorter and less intense, and never open with two-a-days in brutal conditions. A player who's been sitting in air conditioning all week needs a ramp, not a cliff.
Know the two emergencies — and act fast
Heat illness lands on a spectrum. Learn to tell the two most serious stages apart, because the response is different.
Every field needs a cooling plan
- Know where shade, ice, and water are at each venue
- Have a plan to cool a player fast — a cold-water immersion tub or ice towels
- Rehearse your emergency action plan with staff before the season
- Assign one adult per session to watch for early signs and to call 911
A quick, important note. This article is general education for coaches, not medical advice. Heat policies and WBGT thresholds vary by state, league, and region — follow your official guidance, and when an athlete is in trouble, get emergency medical help right away.
