PHOENIX — Reports of students vomiting during football practice in extreme heat have raised concerns among parents who say they fear retaliation from schools for speaking up about safety protocols.
An investigation into heat safety policies for student athletes reveals a troubling gap: schools don't appear to track when kids get sick in high temperatures, and no oversight body monitors compliance with safety guidelines.
High school sports serve as a rite of passage for many students, and extreme heat in the desert is simply part of life in the Valley. But when the two combine, confusion remains among parents about the policies in place to protect their children on the field.
"We follow the AIA strict guidelines of the heat index and what they have put forth from their sports medicine Advisory Committee," said David Huffine, Tempe Union's athletic director.
Huffine said they shift their teams' practice to cooler times when conditions exceed Arizona Interscholastic Association standards.
However, those standards don't actually use a heat index as he mentioned. Instead, they rely on Wet Bulb Globe Temperature, which accounts for temperature, humidity, wind, and even the sun's position.
This particular form of measurement can seemingly fluctuate when wind kicks up a mile per hour or humidity percentages shift. Which may mean the WBGT on the AIA chart allows for practice, while valley trails at Camelback and other areas are off limits due to extreme heat warnings.
Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you!
Connect with us: share@abc15.com
After an initial report on the issue, the mother of a football player contacted me about incidents where kids were seen vomiting on the sidelines during practice. She requested anonymity, writing in part:
"Many parents are hesitant to discuss this issue or approach the school due to concerns about potential repercussions for student-athletes."
She continued:
"I'm curious why hiking is discouraged on high-temperature days, yet it's considered safe for children to play football, soccer, or other similar sports."
The Arizona Interscholastic Association provides guidelines for schools to follow, but spokesperson Seth Polansky said it's not their responsibility to monitor what happens at Valley schools.
"We don't monitor any complaints. We don't get complaints, and we are not an investigative agency," Polansky said.
If there are complaints at the school level, or if school officials believe there is an issue with the AIA guidelines and the safety of student-athletes, the responsibility is with the schools themselves.
"It would be on the school to do a self-report and then that reports the AIA, and then ultimately that would go to our executive board for review and any possible action," Polansky said.
The number of heat-related illnesses among student athletes following AIA standards remains unknown. Records requests sent to schools and districts throughout the Valley have revealed that schools aren’t tracking when students get sick in the heat, let alone documents the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature readings that determine whether student athlete activity is allowed or restricted.
Despite parents' concerns, there's no data to show whether current safety protocols are or are not the best for the student-athletes.
"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."
