Posted 8/15/01 Korey Stringerís death is a warning to all athletes The tragic death of Minnesota Viking football player Korey Stringer is a warning to all who conduct athletic practices in heat and humidity. According to the Minnesota State High School League, no high school athlete has lost his or her life practicing in hot and humid weather. As a precaution in 1994, the League adopted a hot and cold index put together by its Sports Medicine Advisory Committee and adopted by the Board of Directors. The hot weather index is applicable to both practicing outside and inside facilities. Each day of questionable weather, the coaches are duty bound to check the heat index chart on the leagueís Web site: www. mshsl.org. The index, based on relative humidity and temperatures, shows at what point coaches should use caution, extreme caution and cancel practices. In addition, the League, which regulates high school athletics, advises coaches on what precautions they should take, such as watching students closely, taking lots of breaks, making sure athletes are hydrated. The League warns that athletes who take antihistamines or beta blockers may be at greater risk. The League also advises coaches to trust kids to know what their bodies can take, and they warn not to let peer pressure force kids to make decisions that may cause harm. Skip Peltier, associate director of the League, says coaches have options on hot days such as practicing early in the day, teaching some lessons inside, shortening the practices and seeing that players get plenty of fluids. The days are gone when athletes are denied water. Now they have access to water at all times. Coaches are advised to have 15-minute rest breaks every half hour during hot weather. No doctor, however, is around during practices. Another concern during practices are athletes who have asthma. Health emergency cards are supposed to be written up on all athletes, particularly related to asthma. On the field, athletes are supposed to take off their helmets and pads when they run sprints. Gone are the days of the macho athletes who are supposed to show their endurance by not taking in fluids and showing off by exerting themselves. The League also requires athletes to take complete physical examinations every three years, and more often if health problems exist. Peltier says coaches have been trained on how to conduct their practices, and Minnesota has the reputation of conducting practices by the rules. Accidents happen for all kinds of reasons. The Korey Stringer death raises the question if more can be done to help govern practicing sports during hot weather. Peltier believes the League has trained its coaches to be cautious when practicing in hot weather. He sees no need for any more legislation covering this problem. Peltier says everyone needs to be vigilant during these hot weather practices: parents who may know something about their childís health, the athletes themselves who have to know their own bodies and the coaches who must closely monitor their practices. The spotlight is on the coaching staffs and the student athletes. They would do well to make decisions on the side of caution. Korey Stringer taught us a valuable lesson with his tragic death, and we hope coaches, parents and athletes will be cautious as young men and women practice in high temperatures along with high humidity. ñ Don Heinzman ©Post Review