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Los Fresnos
Athletics

Cold Weather Policy

Cold exposure can be uncomfortable, impair performance and even become life-threatening. Hypothermia, a significant drop in body temperature, occurs with rapid cooling, exhaustion and energy depletion. Hypothermia frequently occurs at temperatures above freezing. A wet and windy 30 –50 degree exposure may be as serious as a subzero exposure. For this reason it is important to use the wind chill factor not the ambient temperature. Wind speed interacts with ambient temperature to significantly increase body cooling.

Prevention: Clothing is one of the most important parts of keeping the athlete’s body warm.

  • Athletic should dress in layers and try and stay dry. 
         ·         Athletes should use a wind block garment to avoid wind chill during workouts. 
         ·         Athletes should dress in layers and try to stay dry. Athletes should layer themselves with wicking fabric next to the body, followed by lightweight pile or wool layers for warmth.  
         ·         Head and neck should be covered to prevent heat loss
         ·         Extremities should be covered to protect from the wind chill.

Cold Exposure

  • Breathing of cold air can trigger asthma attack (bronchospasm) 
         ·         Coughing, chest tightness, burning sensation in throat and nasal passage
         ·         Reduction of strength, power, endurance, and aerobic capacity 
         ·         Core body temperature reduction, causing reduction of motor output

Cold Recognition

  • Shivering, a means for the body to generate heat. Excessive shivering contributes to fatigue, loss of motor skills 
         ·         Numbness and pain in fingers, toes, ears, and exposed facial tissue 
         ·         Drop in core temperature; athlete exhibits sluggishness, slowed speech, disoriented

 

High School Athletics Cold Weather Policies:

  • 35 minutes of exposure/20 minutes inside gym (may return outside after 20 minutes) 
         ·         35 minutes exposure/20 minutes inside 
         ·         Dry clothing (socks, gloves) 
         ·         Athletes must be dressed in warm-ups with extremities covered
  • All practices will be inside 
         ·         No outside exposure
  • 45 minutes exposure/ 15 minutes inside gym 
         ·         Athletes must be in warm-ups with extremities covered
  • 30 minutes of total exposure to chill factor 
             ·         15 minutes inside 
         ·         Warm-ups must be worn at all times, extremities covered
  • No outside practices
    • All work must be inside
 
Junior High Athletics Cold Weather Policies:
  • 35 minutes of exposure/20 minutes inside gym (may return outside after 20 minutes) 
         ·         35 minutes exposure/20 minutes inside 
         ·         Dry clothing (socks, gloves)
         ·         Athletes must be dressed in warm-ups with extremities covered
  • All practices will be inside 
         ·         No outside exposure
  •       30 minutes of total exposure to chill factor 15 minutes inside 
         ·         Warm-ups must be worn at all times, extremities covered
  • 45 minutes exposure/ 15 minutes inside gym 
         ·         Athletes must be in warm-ups with extremities covered
  • No outside practice