INDIANAPOLIS — The heat dome is set to send extreme temps across the Midwest. Tuesday is set to be one of the hottest days of summer.
As many prepare to take on the heat, our Amber Grigley hit the pavement to see how coaches are making quick adjustments for student-athletes.
"I check the temperature on the grass. I take the temperature on the turf. I went to the tennis courts today where it was 132 degrees on the surface of the tennis court," said David Jessup, the Athletic Trainer at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School. "Safety of the kids always comes first."
He makes a lot of tough decisions when it comes to school sports, but this week his decisions are focused on the health and well-being of the student-athletes as we prepare for a late summer heat wave.
"I'm not a win/loss guy. I mean obviously I want our teams to win, of course. In the long run, you got to have kids healthy and able to play in order to do all those things," said Jessup.
"It's the one injury or illness that's totally preventable," Robert Faulkens, Assistant Commissioner for IHSAA said.
Faulkens said avoiding heat exertion illnesses is as simple as coaches tailoring workouts on extremely hot days.
"Shorten the day. Frequent water breaks. Practice later in the day, not when it's really, really hot," Faulkens said.
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General guidelines Faulkens said Indiana coaches do a great job adhering to, like Brebeuf Head Coach Matt Geske.
"We've made some adjustments. As you see we're doing a walk-through. No helmets. When we do put helmets on it'll be for short spurts today," Geske said.
Geske said practice started later and in minimum equipment to help the Braves, brave the heat.
"We just try to implement everything that we can between water breaks, equipment, and time off and being in the air conditioning so we can manage things like this," Geske said.
Geske said his players will remain under those heat guidelines through the week. Berbeuf is a high school under Franciscan Health. Medical professionals like Jessup are there to assist athletes throughout the day and practice.
