Too hot for high school football? Which Fort Worth-area teams will delay start times?
Texas high school football starts on Thursday, so it is time for the heat in the Fort Worth-area to go away, right?
Nope.
The intense heat is still here, and triple-digit temperatures are expected for the rest of the week. When the football season kicks off, temperatures as high as 108 degrees are expected.
What are high school football teams doing about this issue? Well, many are pushing back or moving up start times in order to play when it is a bit cooler outside.
These schools pushed back start times to 8 p.m. CT: Southlake Carroll, Grapevine, Aledo, Keller, Keller Central and Argyle.
These schools pushed back their start times to 7:30 p.m. CT: North Crowley, Duncanville, Trophy Club Nelson, Fort Worth All Saints, Fort Worth Nolan, Keller Timber Creek and Arlington Bowie.
Fort Worth ISD Athletic Director Lisa Langston told me FWISD schools are looking to delay football start times to 7:30 CT due to heat.
Schools affected: Carter Riverside, Arlington Heights, Eastern Hills, North Side, Paschal, Southwest, Western Hills and Wyatt.— Charles Baggarly (@swaggarly) August 21, 2023
Fort Worth Trimble Tech was scheduled to face Seagoville at 11 a.m. Saturday. The game time has been moved up to 10 a.m. CT.
“We take the safety of our student athletes very seriously,” Langston said.
Even with the pushed back times, navigating the intense heat will be an issue. This week, triple digits are likely at 8 p.m. in the Fort Worth-area, and temperatures won’t fall to the upper nineties until the sun sets.
Langston said later starts will decrease the amount of time athletes will be under the full sun.
“We want try to do as much as we can for the safety of all kids,” Langston said.
How hot is too hot?
Will it be too hot to host Texas high school football season openers? Throughout August, teams have been acclimating to the Texas heat.
Schools with indoor practice facilities will likely have well conditioned players. Will they be ready for the extreme conditions? That depends on how often they practiced outdoors.
It’s worth noting that practices and games are different scenarios. Players will be pushing their limits in order to perform to the best of their ability.
Langston said Fort Worth ISD athletes should be well conditioned and prepared to endure the temperatures, considering the practices held in the Texas heat throughout the summer.
Triple digits temperatures in Fort Worth are common these days. Here's a look at how football coaches and trainers combat heat related illness.
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. https://t.co/I87kWnm3T9— Charles Baggarly (@swaggarly) August 10, 2023
Although the regulations limit practices, it does not specify if games are to be canceled at a certain temperature.
Athletes playing in stressful environments should focus on hydration to decrease the likelihood of heat related illness.
