Athletics

Athletics and activities play an important role in our students' school experience, and we are committed to taking necessary precautions, especially on hot days, to safeguard everyone from heat-related illnesses. To achieve this, we have implemented the following measures:

Lights Coming to High School Turf Practice Fields: The District is near completion with a project that brings practice lights to our five high schools that previously did not have them for their turf practice fields.  This will enable programs to schedule evening practices when feasible.

Certified Athletic Trainers: Our high school campuses are equipped with Certified Athletic Trainers who collaborate with coaches and athletes to closely monitor activities and the health of our students.  They have also been trained on reading the data provided by the WBGT, how to monitor AQI (Air Quality Index), and how to modify activities based on this data.

Coaches' training: All Coaches have undergone specialized courses on heat related illnesses, as well as First Aid/CPR training.

Modifying/Canceling Activities: As we take hourly readings with the WBGT and monitor AQI, we will sometimes make necessary adjustments to activities and/or competitions in order to keep students and staff safe. If conditions warrant, we may move practice indoors to air-conditioned facilities or postpone it to a later time. This could be the case for competitions as well.  The safety of our student-athletes and coaches always takes precedence in our decision making.

Transportation: When transporting our student-athletes to contests in Southern California, we are taking steps to ensure safety under extreme conditions. Our buses are predominantly air-conditioned.  If the bus is not air-conditioned, our practice is to provide each player with bagged ice and access to water.  We are making efforts to coordinate with host schools to secure air-conditioned or shaded spaces for warm-ups, whenever possible.

At all times, we strive to maintain our athletic schedules, but when the safety of our student-athletes and coaches is at stake, we may be forced to make hard decisions about rescheduled events or cancellations. Your understanding and support in this matter are greatly appreciated, as we collectively prioritize the wellbeing of our school community.