CCIW Implements Heat Protocol Guidelines for football and soccer

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) has developed guidelines for the implementation of mandatory hydration/cooling breaks in the sports of football and soccer effective August 15, 2007.

This new set of guidelines states that “intercollegiate competition occurring during extreme heat conditions shall include mandatory hydration/cooling breaks at specified times in the sports of football and men’s & women’s soccer.” The determination of whether conditions include extreme or severe heat shall be made by the host school’s Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) and will be based on the apparent temperature, more commonly known as the heat index, which includes a combination of air temperature and relative humidity occurring at the time of competition.

“This new policy is designed to protect and prevent CCIW student-athletes from suffering the hazardous effects of heat illness, which is a serious issue for all of our student-athletes and coaches,” CCIW commissioner Chris Martin said.

Carthage President and CCIW President’s Council Chairperson F. Gregory Campbell also believes that this new policy is a step in the right direction for the conference.

“The colleges and universities of the CCIW put a tremendous amount of focus on the welfare of student-athletes,” Campbell said, “and intercollegiate competition seeks to promote high achievement within a safe environment.”

Under these new guidelines, if the heat index reaches 130°F or higher, the risk category is considered to be “Extreme Danger”, while 105-129°F is in the “Danger” risk category. The 90-105°F range is the “Extreme Caution” category, while heat indexes ranging from 80-90°F is the “Caution” category. Intercollegiate athletic competitions occurring in the “Danger” or “Extreme Danger” categories shall include mandatory hydration/cooling breaks in order to prevent heat illness in participating student-athletes. Schools are advised to closely monitor competitions taking place in the “Extreme Caution” or “Caution” risk categories.

In the sport of football, the hydration/cooling breaks for CCIW competition shall be administered by having a five minute, on the field break at the 7:30 mark of each quarter if the heat index is in the “Extreme Danger” or “Danger” categories prior to the start of the contest. Helmets shall be removed during the break but the removal of shoulder pads is optional. Certified athletic trainers may make the decision to require players to remove their shoulder pads if he or she feels an individual or individuals are in some distress.

In the sport of soccer a five minute, on the field, hydration/cooling break will be mandated at the 25:00 minute mark of each half if the heat index is in the “Extreme Danger” or “Danger” categories prior to the start of the contest.

According to an annual survey of football injuries compiled by the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, five football players died of heat stroke in 2006, the most since 1972. The same survey reported that 31 football player deaths related to heat illness have occurred since 1995, including five college players. That kind of evidence prompted the CCIW Presidents to create a CCIW Heat Task Force comprised of member school athletics directors, ATCs and athletic personnel charged with the creation and implementation of heat illness protocol.

“This group did an outstanding job of creating a policy that will enhance the environments in which CCIW student-athletes compete in the sports of football and men’s and women’s soccer,” Martin said. “In addition, the review of this issue also allowed our member schools to closely examine their own policies regarding practice activities.”

These guidelines were developed for intercollegiate competition only. The conduct and administration of heat awareness guidelines for practice shall be governed by the respective school’s heat guidelines.

These new guidelines will also be implemented against non-conference opponents provided the visiting team agrees to use them for the safety of their student-athletes. Non-CCIW opponents are not required to utilize the CCIW heat protocol, but CCIW institutions shall advise opposing teams of the conference policy in advance of the contest. Game officials will also be notified in advance to ensure proper administration of the heat protocol.

Other fall sports, such as cross country and women’s tennis, will not be required to follow the new guidelines as these sports have natural or regular breaks that will allow for proper cool down and hydration. For cross country, the host school shall be aware of the heat index at the time of the race to ensure that competing runners are not put at risk.

The full document on this new policy is available on the CCIW website at http://www.cciw.org/news/Heat_Policy.php

For information regarding heat related illnesses, visit the following websites:

National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
http://www.unc.edu/depts/nccsi/

National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports Medicine Handbook
http://www1.ncaa.org/membership/ed_outreach/health-safety/index.html

National Athletic Trainers Association
http://www.nata.org/

United States Department of Health and Human Services - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/

NOAA National Weather Service
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index.shtml