Schools will follow ‘Wet Bulb’ temperature for the upcoming school year

With practices officially being able to start next week for UIL activities, the worry is always with the oppressive Texas heat and coaches trying to find ways to avoid the worst of it.

This year the rules to help players stay safe will also include following the Wet Bulb Scale. 

While Wet Bulb Globe Temperature has been used as a tool by coaches in the past to help monitor conditions, it is now being mandated to be used this upcoming school year by trainers and coaches to help make sure practices are safe in the toastiest conditions.

“It takes the sun, the wind, and the humidity and it puts that at safe levels because it’s not just your heat index,” said Troy Little, Aledo athletic trainer. “Heat index is kind of radiant heat. This gives you how your body is able to handle the heat, stress and when your sweat is evaporating and how your body is able to handle that.”

The scale follows five separate color scales, with each one placing more safety restrictions on practice based on how high the WBGT is.

The first one is 79.7-82 is for normal activities, 82.1-86.9 is the second zone, 87-90 is the third zone, and 90.1-92 is the fourth zone. Anything above 92.1 and teams will not be allowed to practice outside at all.

Aledo football coach Robby Jones is not too worried about this change since the school district has an indoor practice facility if things get too hot. Also, with the Bearcat varsity team practicing before school during the season, he expects to avoid the worst of the heat.

Weatherford football is in the same boat with its indoor practice facility as well. New Coach Marshall Williams said he just follows the advice of his head athletic trainer, Kim Matus.