Preseason athletics, particularly football at the high school and youth level, is consistently associated with a significant number of exertional heat stroke cases in the U.S. Multi-hour, high-intensity outdoor practices during the hottest weeks of the year, often before athletes are acclimatized, create conditions where heat illness risk increases.
Sports medicine organizations including the National Athletic Trainers' Association and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend WBGT because it accounts for direct sun and field-level radiant heat that heat index does not. Many state athletic associations now require WBGT monitoring for outdoor practices as a condition of participation.
The early days of preseason are when heat illness risk is often highest, which is why most state and national guidelines mandate a gradual ramp-up in practice duration, intensity, and equipment (particularly full pads) over the first several days rather than starting at full contact and full gear immediately. An athletic heat safety plan should define WBGT thresholds, practice modifications, acclimatization requirements, and communication procedures before the season begins.
A defensible program defines, in advance, exactly what changes at each WBGT threshold: shortened practice, mandatory water breaks at set intervals, reduced or removed equipment, or full cancellation. Making these decisions in the moment, under pressure from schedules, competitions, or expectations from stakeholders, can make consistent enforcement more difficult.
The coach on the field, not the athletic director in an office, is the one who needs the current WBGT reading and needs it in real time, ideally through immediate alerts or accessible field-level monitoring rather than relying on a single manual check before practice starts. Programs that get this data directly into coaches' hands can improve consistency in following their established protocols.
A weather station at an airport or nearby reporting location may not represent conditions on an athletic field. Artificial turf, track surfaces, stadium seating, and surrounding structures can all influence heat exposure. Site-specific monitoring provides coaches and athletic trainers with the conditions athletes are actually experiencing.
Learn how Weatherstem helps athletic programs monitor field-level heat conditions with real-time weather data, WBGT monitoring, and automated alerts that support safer practice decisions.
WBGT provides a more complete measurement of heat stress because it accounts for temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. This makes it better suited for outdoor athletic activities where direct sun and physical exertion increase heat exposure.
An athletic heat safety plan should include WBGT thresholds, practice modification procedures, acclimatization guidelines, hydration and rest requirements, emergency response procedures, and communication protocols for coaches, athletes, and staff.
Weather conditions can change throughout the day and vary between locations. Real-time weather monitoring provides coaches and athletic trainers with current field conditions so they can make decisions based on actual heat exposure rather than regional estimates.