Iberville Parish football adapts to laws regulating heat at practice

Dec 17, 2023

The days of three-hour football practices without breaks during August heat have become a thing of the past – and they are illegal.

Athletic programs in Iberville Parish and statewide must use a West Bulb Globe Temperature thermometer to determine the lengths of practices, the number of breaks and equipment that is allowed to be worn.

It is part of the Korey Stringer Institute that Louisiana lawmakers adopted in 2022.

The institute is named after a former Minnesota Vikings lineman who died from heat exhaustion in 2001.

It has become a major part of the daily protocol amid unprecedented streaks of temperatures 100 and above – not including the heat index.

“All of our trainers had the wet bulb device gauge,” Iberville Parish Schools Athletic Director Tait Dupont said. “They look at it before the teams go out for practice, when they can have their helmets on, and the break times are included, as well.”

Coaches have found ways to work through the regulation to remain safe while still getting enough practice for the upcoming season.

“We aren’t staying out as long, and honestly, I break them every 10 minutes,” White Castle coach Marc Brown said. “We have water breaks every 10 minutes, we keep them hydrated and get them some water.

“You have to be more efficient on the field,” he said. “But on the flip side, they still need to get the breaks because it’s very hot even at 7 p.m.”

St. John head coach Bryon Troxclair admits the new law has made it tougher to get a full practice going, but he has found ways to compensate.

The coaching staff moved football practice time to 6 p.m., and they conduct drills that do not always require players to wear helmets.

“We also spend a lot of time in the meeting room, and we make sure every player gets adequate water breaks,” Troxclair said. “It’s a challenge, but every school is going through it.”

While it may be a challenge, it’s also a necessity, he said.

“For some reason, people say temp is same as 20 years ago – it’s really not,” Troxclair said. “Our kids go home and come back. I stick around school, and it’s smothering hot.

“It’s what’s best for the athletes, and that’s what I’m here for,” he said. “This is all about being proactive – we don’t want to wait until something bad happens.”

In St. Gabriel, East Iberville head coach Justin Joseph has worked through the same issues.

The water breaks are a standard protocol, but he has one item at his disposal that his fellow Iberville Parish football coaches do not have.

“We’ve been holding some of our practices in the soccer complex,” he said. “Sure, it’s not the same as practicing on a field, but it’s safe – and it’s a blessing.”

The Iberville Parish public schools have trainers at each high school to watch over the heat-related issues, Dupont said.

It’s one of the great benefits of the program, he said.

“It’s an awesome thing to have someone to provide care for any heat-related symptoms or any other injuries,” Dupont said. “They can recognize it quicker than a regular coach can.”

The Iberville Parish School System is in the process of sending all coaches in the district to CPR and heat-related training.

By the end of September, all coaches will have training on those issues.

“It’s more about prevention than treating it after it happens,” Dupont said.

Today’s protocol is much different – and far more bearable – than it was 20 years ago, Brown said.

“When I played for Baker High, our water came from a PVC pipe with holes punched in it, and it was all connected to a hose – we fought over that,” he said. “Times have really changed, and we’re a lot smarter dealing with the heat.

“I’d rather go through shorter practices, take more breaks and do walkthroughs rather than put a child in danger and leave a family without a child,” Brown said.