In-Depth
THE eagle’s Eye
Page 12 | Oct. 10, 2023
Akins adapts to record-setting heat Adamaris Gonzales
Warming Up in extreme heat Eagles football players wear shirts before putting on their full uniforms to stay cool ahead of their game against Hays High School in August.
Extreme temperatures challenge athletes, performers while outside Co-Editor-In-Chief Meteorologists have used many data points and terms to describe the weather this summer, but it boils down to two words: hot and dry. When temperatures rise to 100 degrees or higher, it is a hot day in Texas. From the beginning of the year to Sept. 12, Austin experienced 78 days with such hot temperatures, according to a KVUE article. More than half of 100-degree days this year have been classified as “extreme heat days” by meteorologists, according to an article by David Yoemans, Chief Meteorologist at Austin’s KXAN news TV station. This year, Austin has tallied 40 days with temperatures that were 105° or hotter. By comparison, 2011, another year remembered for being extremely hot, only had 26 such days. At Akins, marching band and football students felt the brunt of these extreme temperatures when they began training and practicing in August for their performances on the football field this Fall. Band members and football players practiced early in the morning and in the evenings to try to avoid the worst temperatures of the day, but they still had to be careful to hydrate and take breaks to cool down. The sports trainers have been working hard to make sure that no one is affected by the heat. Varsity football player, Matthew Ybarra, said that he was “lucky to have [the trainers] out there because [he didn’t] even know how [they’d]
be able to survive without them.” Coaches have had to put special attention on preventing Yoemans reported that although temperature records athletes from suffering heat-related illnesses like exhaustion extend back to 1897, all of Austin’s 10-hottest summers on or even heat strokes. record have come since 1998. Head Football Coach Joey Saxe said Akins Looking back at the past coaches follow Austin ISD’s protocol for couple of months, it’s painkeeping athletes safe when experiencing Unchecked carbon pollufully obvious that we’re going excessive heat. tion is forcing the world’s to get hotter summers for “Once the temperatures get to 95, or a most vulnerable on a frog much longer than usual. heat index of 105, you have to provide at What caused this heat wave least three separate rests, which include five march to destruction-now that had 100+ weather for 40 minutes for water,” he said. “And so what you days straight? will see a lot during our practices is students One reason is that Auspretty much after every 15 to 20 minutes, -U.N. Secretary General tin had a heat dome over there is a true five-minute water break and Antonio Guiterres it for most of the summer. (where they) take helmets off to make sure Forecasters predicted that you are drinking. And we do have a shaded the heat wouldn’t stay hot for area where they sometimes will gather and too long. When making their then go from there.” predictions, they didn’t expect the heat dome to evaporate Football coaches have an immersion tank they can all the water in the ground. This caused the temperatures to use to help cool down players. On a day with a heat index stay high for the 40-plus straight days. at or above 105, practices are shortened to two hours. If Many scientists and government officials also believe there is a heat index of 115, practice cannot be longer than that humans may be one of the reasons that the weather is one hour. If it gets any hotter, the team does practice inside, getting more extreme. This has led to adverse effects on the which did not happen this season. environment and even Akins athletes and band members. Saxe also said that since the football season began, the Multiple Akins athletes had cramps because of school has spent over $1,000 on Gatorade and other ways to the heat, many dealt with heat exhaustion and one band help athletes boost their electrolytes when they get tired. member had to get medical attention. For tennis players, it has been tough, too. The con-
“
“
Mark Lomas
