CIF Guidelines: Practice in the Heat
Last updated 8/21/2024 at 9:58am
Those gleaming lights are back to shining on the field for football nights in school districts throughout San Diego County. But now, there are new guidelines to protect those student-athletes against the extreme heat.
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has released new guidelines to prevent heat-related illnesses among students. Schools must use the Wet Bulb Globe Thermometer or WBGT which measures temperature, humidity, windspeed, sun angle and cloud cover.
The CIF labels school districts under three categories which means the WBGT must not measure above 86.2 for category one, 89.9 for category two and 92 for category three. Practices and games can be delayed until it gets cooler.
Mostly all districts in San Diego county fall under category one with the exception of Borrego Springs Unified and Mountain Empire Unified, those districts are labeled as category two.
In the message by CIF Commissioner under the heat guidelines, states:
“The Extreme Heat and Air Quality Policy should have most everyone’s attention. Assembly Bill 1653, which passed the legislature and was signed by the governor in October of 2023, mandates that by no later than July 1, 2024, the (CIF) must develop guidelines, procedures and safety standards for the prevention and management of exertional heat illness.”
It was quite the topic in the Borrego Springs 92004 Facebook page last month, as a concerned resident posted about night practices on the Borrego High School football field. With temperatures still in high even at 7 p.m., it was a hot button. However, many came to the defense of the safety procedures taken by the staff in terms of the practices during this time. This is also not new to Borrego athletes or residents alike. Also because of the temperatures of the afternoon practices, which many teams usually do right after school, these night practices are the best alternative. Side note: Athletes are also required a certain number of days in full pads in order to play a game.
To learn more about the new CIF guidelines visit cifss.org.
