Starting this 2012-13 school year, the Georgia High School Association has made several strides to improve conditions on the playing fields for student athletes, regarding hot weather conditions. Over the past two years Georgia has led the country in heat-related athletic deaths, so a change in practice regiments was a top priority starting with football.
VIEW: GHSA Heat Index Measurement
"The heat has always been the same. 20-25 years ago when you go back and look at data, it hasn't raised that much", says athletic trainer, Tee Spinks. "The heats the same. The humidity is the same. I think one of the biggest things that have changed in my personal opinion are our youth are not as active as they used to be during the offseason and I think that affects them as they adapt to the heat. So you just cant come on to the foootball field in August and expect to be ready to play."
Every school across the state will be equipped with a Wet Blow Globe Themometer. It's a themometer that measures the humidity and air pressure to produce an accurate temperature.