Heat illness is a health issue we all must be aware of as our kids play outside in the summer heat and many participate in summer practices for sports such as football. The Wall Street Journal offers an informative article on the subject today and the NFL has teamed with Gatorade to educate families and coaches and to raise money for the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Foundation.
Kendrick Fincher’s parents, Mike and Rhonda started the foundation to honor their son. Kendrick died due to heat related illness in 1995. According to Rhonda, “When we created the Foundation, our primary goal was to make sure no parent would ever have to experience what we experienced with Kendrick, especially when heat-related illnesses are almost 100% preventable.”
Click here to download a Beat the Heat Safety Kit. Share it with parents, coaches, and sports administrators so all know the basics. Each time the kit is downloaded, the NFL and Gatorade will donate $1 to “Beat the Heat” charities.
From the NFL and the Kendrick Fincher Memorial Fund:
The “4 Downs” of Heat Safety
1st Down: Prevent – Know how to avoid heat illness, identify the warning signs and treat the symptoms
2nd Down: Prepare – Acclimate to the heat and hydrate BEFORE you get to practice
3rd Down: Proper Hydration – Choose sports drinks like Gatorade to replace electrolytes, especially sodium lost in sweat
4th Down: Plan – Have an emergency plan and keep a cool pool nearby to immerse players suffering from heat stroke
Tags: "Beat the Heat", heat illness, high school football, hydration, Kendrick Fincher Memorial Fund, kids health, Laura Yao, Max Gilpin, two a day practices, two-a-day safety