Health & Safety Dashboard

With football and other fall sports practices underway across Mississippi, August heat remains one of the most important safety concerns for student-athletes, coaches and athletic trainers.

Schools should closely monitor weather conditions, recognize the warning signs of heat illness and head injuries, and have emergency procedures in place before practice or competition begins.

To make this information easier to find on our website, we have created a menu dedicated to Health & Safety. You’ll find it between the Activities and Schools menus in the black bar beneath our logo.

Use the resources below to review four key areas of athlete safety:

• [Heat Update] — Mississippi weather often combines high heat and high humidity into a dangerous combination for athletes whose sports require training and competition outside. Follow these recommendations to reduce the risks of heat-related issues.
• [Wetbulb Globe Temperature (WBGT)] — Monitor heat conditions and know when practices should be modified.
• [Cold Water Immersion] — Be prepared to rapidly cool an athlete when exertional heat stroke is suspected.
• [Concussions] — Recognize the signs and symptoms and follow proper return-to-play procedures.
• [Emergency Action Plans] — Make sure your school has a written, practiced plan for responding to medical emergencies.

Taking a few minutes to prepare before an emergency occurs can help protect student-athletes throughout the fall sports season.