Getting acclimated: PIAA rule helps football coaches get jump on season
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels assistant coach Chace Johnston works with the Mikes鈥� lineman during heat acclimation week last Friday.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels assistant coach Coty Allen works with the Mikes quarterbacks, including starter Kevin Kelly (13), during heat acclimation week last Friday.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels players execute a drill during heat acclimation week last Friday.
Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频
Carmichaels head coach Ryan Krull watches over the Mikes wide receivers as the prepare to execute a drill during heat acclimation week last Friday.
High school football players took to the field on Monday, Aug. 5 to prepare for the upcoming season.
There was no contact, however, as has been the case during what is called heat acclimation week since 2013 when the PIAA first instituted that policy. It蘑菇视频 a week in which players are supposed to condition themselves in preparation for the first official week of fall practice which began on Monday.
The goal is to cut down on heat-related illnesses and injuries. The heat acclimatization program was three days long at first but was increased to five days in 2015.
Area coaches not only love it because it creates a safer environment but also because it gives them an extra week to work with their players.
鈥淚 think it蘑菇视频 a good thing, but it used to be that you could wear shoulder pads and helmets in July anyway,鈥� Mapletown coach George Messich said. 鈥淚f it does anything, I think it helps.
鈥淵ou get the kids out. It蘑菇视频 mandatory by the state so the kids know they have to be here.鈥�
West Greene coach Brian Hanson was a head coach in Maryland last year which also has a heat acclimatization program.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 a good thing,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nything for the kids鈥� safety and health is a positive.鈥�
Carmichaels coach Ryan Krull also likes the policy but feels players should start the process on their own, long before the month of August begins.
鈥淚 get that the PIAA is trying to prevent some unfortunate incidents that have happened in the past such as heat strokes,鈥� Krull said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know of any physiologist or anybody who understands the human body that would tell you practicing for one week before football camp starts is going to get these kids in shape. You don鈥檛 get in shape in a week. It蘑菇视频 a process that takes weeks, probably six-to-eight weeks minimum.
鈥淧ersonally, it allows us to tell these guys and their parents we have to do this so it allows us to get a jump-start on the season. And I think any coach will tell you the earlier that we can officially get started, the better. They know they have to be here.鈥�
Players are not permitted to be in full uniform during heat acclimation week.
鈥淭hey wear everything except girdles and pants,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淭hey can wear shorts, shoulder pads and helmets.鈥�
鈥淭here蘑菇视频 no contact,鈥� Krull said. 鈥淎nd there蘑菇视频 time restraints on it, too. Practices have to be a minimum of three hours long and if you want to do a double-session (five hours of practice), there has to be two hours in between those.
鈥淭here蘑菇视频 a list and we look at it every year to make sure we鈥檙e following the guidelines.鈥�
Still, Krull insists players, with a boost from their parents, should do more to prepare for a grueling season of football.
鈥淚鈥檓 in favor of the policy, of course,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut I really do think it takes June and July to get ready for a football season. I don鈥檛 know if anybody just allows their kids to come to heat acclimation and gives them the rest of the summer off, like, 鈥楬ey, do what you want, don鈥檛 worry about working out, don鈥檛 worry about running.鈥�
鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to do that, there蘑菇视频 no way you鈥檙e going to get in shape in one week.鈥�
The high school football season begins with Week Zero games on Friday, Aug. 23.