LODI FOOTBALL READY TO HOST SONORA
Schools taking care in games and practice
Precautionary measures are being taken by the four Lodi area high school football teams, plus other fall sports teams’ games and practices in anticipation of triple-digit beginning today and stretching into next week.
Lodi, along with Tokay, Galt and Liberty Ranch, are starting their games later tonight later than usual. Lodi is hosting Sonora at the Grape Bowl with an 8 p.m. start time, as is the Tokay at Bear Creek contest. Lodi’s game was originally scheduled at 7:15 p.m., and Tokay at 7:30.
Galt opens its season at Ripon with the varsity game starting after the completion of the frosh-soph game that starts at 6 p.m. Liberty Ranch welcomes Los Banos to the Erv Hatzenbuhler Field at Warriors Stadium for another 8 p.m. kickoff.
Weather forecasters are calling for temperatures to reach 109 to 112 degrees throughout the Valley starting today through Sunday. The temperatures would drop to the lower 100s to the upper 90s the rest of next week.
Procedures in place for tonight’s game between Lodi and Sonora, according to Lodi High Athletic Director Erin Aitken.
“The City of Lodi will be watering down the turf,” Aitken said in an email on Thursday. “We will have swamp cooler type fans, and pop up tents up for the players and coaches.”
Aitken noted that Lodi uses a “modified practice schedule” that includes no conditioning or extraneous exercises, frequent mandated breaks in shade with water, ice bags on hand and decreased practice times. This is applied once temperatures reach 104 degrees and above.
Will DeBoard, the Sac-Joaquin Section’s assistant commissioner and director of communications, said the bulk of the schools have measures in place regarding protective measure for student-athletes and coaches. The section does not rely on a heat index that are used in other states.
“We don’t have any rules regarding the heat,” DeBoard said. “They (schools) wanted the heat issue to be more locally controlled than an arbitrary number. Everybody is being very cautious.”
Tokay High Athletic Director Michael Holst, who is also the school’s football coach, added, “We will change game times if need be. The weather isn’t supposed to be as hot next week, so it’s not going to be as bad as we’ve had it this week.”
Another area Aitken and Holst are emphasizing with their fall coaches on all levels is an increased awareness with our student-athletes about hydrating well before practice. That includes fluids before, during and after games/matches.
“Our coaches are all trained in heat illness prevention,” said Holst, who said that this is mandated by the Lodi Unified School District.
Aitken added, “Coaches have been trained in heat illness and prevention, and know to look for signs and symp-
toms of heat illness.”
The coaches are trying to practice at different times of the day to avoid the hottest part of the day, Holst said. That’s also based on facility usage, and if other extra-curricular activities and/or outside organizations are on Tokay’s campus. The school’s swimming pool is used by Tokay, and sometimes Lodi. The Lodi Swim Club also holds its practices at the pool in the evenings.
On Thursday, the Lodi and Tokay crosscountry teams competed at the Jaguar Invite at Eagal Lakes in Tracy. According to Lodi coach Greg Wright, the distances for the varsity boys and girls was decreased from the 3.1 to 2.1 miles.
After the first mile, officials would have water available for the runners who need fluids. Coaches would be riding bicycles throughout both races to monitor runners from start to finish, Wright noted.