THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Extreme heat in Southern California is disrupting sports, causing delays and schedule changes for schools across Ventura County.
With temperatures throughout the week set to increase to highs over 90 degrees, the Friday night lights will be shining 30 minutes later than expected.
To ensure that players remain safe from the heat, the Lancers preemptively rescheduled their game Tuesday night. The Lancers adjusted their match against Agoura on Friday from the traditional 7:00 p.m. kickoff to 7:30 p.m., in correspondence to the excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service Monday morning.
A new California law, Assembly Bill 1653, enacted on Jan 1, 2024, mandated schools to have a “written emergency plan” covering situations such as extreme heat and concussions.
In observance of the new legislation, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the governing body for California high school sports, revised its guidelines for extreme heat and air quality policies.
These protocols are based on WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) a measure of heat that accounts for temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation to gauge the risk of heat stress. CIF requires that schools use the WBGT to dictate if it is safe for athletes to participate in activities in the sun.
The WGBT uses a color-coded scale (green, yellow, orange, red, black) which reflects the varying temperature ranges and guidelines attached to ensure athletes remain safe.
The first three stages allow for athletic activity without much limitation. The red stage allows for practices and contests but no protective equipment can be worn and no conditioning can occur. The black stage disallows any practice or games until a cooler WBGT stage is reached.
The Conejo Valley falls under a category 1 area, meaning all athletic activity must cease if the WGBT measurement is equal to or greater than 86.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
All sports, including off-season sports, must abide by the new regulation.
Boys’ soccer, girls’ softball and cheer have all attempted to adapt this week.
“We do our best to find alternate solutions,” said Assistant Principal of Athletics Ken Nishya. “Some of the solutions was using the weight room, classroom facilities to go over game tape, or some perform walk-through practices, where they go over plays.”
Sports that play in the heat must adjust and learn how to keep players safe.
Football, a sport practiced in the hottest times during the evening, has been changing their schedules per the new regulation from CIF.
During the summertime, head coach Ben McEnroe opted to practice early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat. Since the start of school, the coaching staff have been attempting to schedule around the hottest times of the day or even delaying practice to 6 p.m. instead of the usual 4 p.m.
“The main thing is player safety,” said McEnroe. “While these rules are inconvenient, we know that they are in the player’s best interest.”
Staying out of the sun and being well-hydrated is the easiest way to avoid heat stress.
