“Experts urge new rules to prevent heatstroke in linemen”

[BobPSU92]

What do the coaches here, real or imaginary, think? Just rub dirt in that heat stroke and keep working?

Experts urge new rules to prevent heatstroke in linemen

As football practices get underway amid hotter-than-normal temperatures, two organizations are calling for a different approach to prevent heatstroke in linemen, who make up 90% of heatstroke deaths in high school and college.

www.espn.com

 

[Bison13]

Kids today, especially linemen, are heavier, have higher body fat %, spend more time indoors and do less running in PE than we did.
That’s the reason this is all needed.

While their may be a few guys who nearly kill the kids like in the junction boys and bear bryant, most aren’t doing crazy stuff.

 

[mh-larch]

I'm surprised we didn't have more guys dropping back when I played in HS in late 70's early 80's. Two-a-day practices began in August and most showed up out of shape or at least with little training over the summer. We were limited to only a few water breaks (you know, H2o in 90 degree heat with high humidity for guys in helmets and shoulder pads is for p#ssies). Always ended practices with running "Steelers" or "Gassers". And if even one teammate (usually an OL) missed the time, we had to run extras... Ugh!

 

[Nitt1300]

Kids today, especially linemen, are heavier, have higher body fat %, spend more time indoors and do less running in PE than we did.
That’s the reason this is all needed.

While their may be a few guys who nearly kill the kids like in the junction boys and bear bryant, most aren’t doing crazy stuff.

270 used to be a very big DT

 

[LionJim]

I'm surprised we didn't have more guys dropping back when I played in HS in late 70's early 80's. Two-a-day practices began in August and most showed up out of shape or at least with little training over the summer. We were limited to only a few water breaks (you know, H2o in 90 degree heat with high humidity for guys in helmets and shoulder pads is for p#ssies). Always ended practices with running "Steelers" or "Gassers". And if even one teammate (usually an OL) missed the time, we had to run extras... Ugh!

Back when I played DT for the Penndel Wildcats, my dad would yell at me for drinking water while the offense was on the field.

 

[Nitt1300]

Back when I played DT for the Penndel Wildcats, my dad would yell at me for drinking water while the offense was on the field.

they just didn't know then what we know now

 

[BobPSU92]

Kids today, especially linemen, are heavier, have higher body fat %, spend more time indoors and do less running in PE than we did.
That’s the reason this is all needed.

While there may be a few guys who nearly kill the kids like in the junction boys and bear bryant, most aren’t doing crazy stuff.

The Junction Boys and bryant came to mind when I started this thread. I don’t know how accurate it was, but it made the point about safety nonetheless.

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

Back when I played DT for the Penndel Wildcats, my dad would yell at me for drinking water while the offense was on the field.

I wonder what he would have done if you were drinking a Rolling Rock!

 

[IrishHerb]

Back when I played DT for the Penndel Wildcats, my dad would yell at me for drinking water while the offense was on the field.

Back when I was in high school, we practiced like hell but had regular water breaks. Then for my first 2 years in college, had an old school coach who didn't believe in breaks, then for my last 2 years I had ex- PSU running back Klingensmith as coach ... he always had water, oranges and candy bars on the sidelines and encouraged us to make use of it as needed. I guess coaches all have different ideas on how to toughen up a team.

 

[Chumboshifko1]

Excess size, PE stuff, vitamins, supplements... this stuff is deadly in the wrong combinations .

 

[LionJim]

I wonder what he would have done if you were drinking a Rolling Rock!

Schmidt’s.

 

[DaytonRickster]

Back when I played DT for the Penndel Wildcats, my dad would yell at me for drinking water while the offense was on the field.

Penndel Wildcats. That must mean you attended school in the Neshaminy district?

 

[Binder74]

My sophomore season they gave us salt tablets and occasionally water. By my senior year(1969) they went cutting edge and started giving us the new thing. Powdered Gatorade.

 

[LionJim]

Penndel Wildcats. That must mean you attended school in the Neshaminy district?

Yes, I’m Neshaminy ‘74, Matt Bahr’s year.

 

[IrishHerb]

Schmidt’s.

Olde Frothingslosh

 

[TheBigUglies]

From the article: "Anderson said deaths happen during practice rather than competition and recommended that linemen should be trained based on what is demanded of them during a game."

This statement just seems odd to me because that is what coaches do, train based on what is demanded of them during a game. They also have to be conditioned for the amount of physical exertion that happens on every play. Maybe I am interpreting it wrong. That being said. I played in the 80s, coached in the 90s early 2000s. Kids have gotten much bigger since then. Is it hotter now then in the 80s? Not sure without looking at the data. I remember it always being hot and humid when summer camp opened in August. However, that being said, we were always outside in the summers(I wo and did not have air conditioning(we slept in the basement where it was cooler). Practice was structured as 3 a days, sessions with water breaks because we always had to bring a thermos full of water(Like a gallon jug), 8-11, 12:30 - 2:00(skill players no pads outside, Big Uglies doing some conditioning, agilities, lifting weights, going over plays inside), 3:00 - 5:00 all team back in full pads, with water breaks. Most of the heavy physical stuff was always in the morning session when it was cooler. I do remember some players hurling during sled drills in the morning because they came to camp out of shape or guzzled some shake right before practice. The expectation was to be conditioning all summer before you showed up to camp. You couldn't get in football shape in the 2 weeks of summer camp leading up to the season. I know many teams have heat conditioning practices leading up to summer camp.

I think other issue is that coaches need to be trained to identify heat related issues and not be Neanderthals' stuck in the 70s/80s seeing needing water as a weakness. Times have changed.

Also, some teams play games at 12:00 and 1:00 on Saturdays so your players need to be conditioned to play in hot weather as well. It is fine line to balance. Early games at night can be super hot as well.

 

[s1uggo72]

i've never understood why you have linemen or for that matter any football player run for distance. imo 1 mile is a distance run, dont have your linemen do it.

 

[ApexLion]

i've never understood why you have linemen or for that matter any football player run for distance. imo 1 mile is a distance run, dont have your linemen do it.

I agree Mr. Millen. If you have to run that far, the team is in trouble.

 

[LionJim]

I agree Mr. Millen. If you have to run that far, the team is in trouble.

For some reason this brought to mind Brian Bosworth chasing Bo Jackson.

 

[TheBigUglies]

i've never understood why you have linemen or for that matter any football player run for distance. imo 1 mile is a distance run, dont have your linemen do it.

Endurance, fitness and mental toughness. Running is boring and messes with your mind!! Also, lineman sometimes do run long distances(chasing the ball carrier, screen passes, punt coverage, punt returns, etc) and they have to do it over and over and over again. Sometimes from no huddle. If the fat boys can run a mile in a decent amount of time then it helps their overall fitness for football. This was also used to help reach goals in the off season as we were graded on our times. I think in the spring I ran a 9:30 mile(I was fat and slow(still am actually)), but the week before summer camp I got that down to 8:15. I felt much better in that summer camp then I did the prior year when I tested up in the high 9 minutes range. Every exercise or drill has a specific football connection, at least in the programs I was affiliated with. The sum of all the little, what sometimes feel dumb, drills add up to some football action that improves a players performance. The repetitiveness in practices helps movements become natural(muscle memory) that the player doesn't have to think about over the course of game battle.

 

[s1uggo72]

Endurance, fitness and mental toughness. Running is boring and messes with your mind!! Also, lineman sometimes do run long distances(chasing the ball carrier, screen passes, punt coverage, punt returns, etc) and they have to do it over and over and over again. Sometimes from no huddle. If the fat boys can run a mile in a decent amount of time then it helps their overall fitness for football. This was also used to help reach goals in the off season as we were graded on our times. I think in the spring I ran a 9:30 mile(I was fat and slow(still am actually)), but the week before summer camp I got that down to 8:15. I felt much better in that summer camp then I did the prior year when I tested up in the high 9 minutes range. Every exercise or drill has a specific football connection, at least in the programs I was affiliated with. The sum of all the little, what sometimes feel dumb, drills add up to some football action that improves a players performance. The repetitiveness in practices helps movements become natural(muscle memory) that the player doesn't have to think about over the course of game battle.

Every exercise or drill has a specific football connection, at least in the programs I was affiliated with.

so the football connection to the 1 mile run is?

 

[Binder74]

Every exercise or drill has a specific football connection, at least in the programs I was affiliated with.

so the football connection to the 1 mile run is?

Exactly. The 40 time is much more useful.