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Phoenix High School Student-Athletes Beat the Heat with Early Morning Practices

Phoenix High School Student-Athletes Beat the Heat with Early Morning Practices

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — To prepare for the upcoming season, student-athletes from Phoenix-area high schools are beating the heat by practicing early in the morning on days like this First Alert Weather Day.

The Arizona Interscholastic Association mandates that teams reschedule practices if there is extreme heat between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. The AIA also has guidelines to help student-athletes acclimate to the heat.

The Pinnacle High School football team will practice early in the morning this summer to avoid the intense heat. Instead of sleeping in, players will be on the field as early as 6 a.m. to get ready for the fall season.

Head Coach Dana Zupke emphasized the importance of staying hydrated during the summer.

“One technique we use is weighing before and after workouts so kids have a really good idea of how much fluid they lost and making sure they’re replenishing those fluids throughout the day,” Coach Zupke said.