With the WIAA-mandated dead period in the rear view mirror, football teams around the state returned to the practice field Wednesday to officially begin their 2023 seasons.
While crisp fall Friday nights aren’t far away, the sweltering heat of the summer is raging on, forcing coaches and players to be cautious as they begin practices.
Lewis County and several other counties in Western Washington are under an Excessive Heat Warning from the National Weather Service as temperatures reach triple digits.
“Safety is obviously the most important thing,” Napavine coach Josh Fay said. “Making sure we’re hydrating guys, dialing things back a little bit and giving as many water breaks as they need.”
During water breaks at Napavine, players not only made sure to drink plenty of water, but they also made sure to drench themselves and the inside of their helmets, hoping it would help them stay cool during the next set of drills.
At W.F. West, a few players hopped in ice baths afterwards to cool down.
Despite the heat, W.F. West coach Dan Hill was pleased with his squad’s fortitude on the first day.
"It was warm today. But we came out here in the heat of it and worked and grinded, and it shows that these guys are committed and have the work ethic and dedication,” Hill said. “No matter what (the weather) is, they're going to come out and do the job."
Hill noted that he modified the Bearcats’ practice schedule to give his players extended water breaks and more periods with their helmets off.
In order to avoid the heat wave altogether, Oakville has moved its first few practices indoors, an option that other coaches are also keeping in their back pocket.
"If we have to, if it's super hot, we'll go into the gym. But our practices are pretty short and fast,” Adna coach Aaron Cochran said.
And while two-a-days are a time to improve and hone in as the regular season quickly approaches, Fay also said it’s important to make sure the players are keeping the energy level high, as difficult as that can be.
“That’s the challenge for us in the heat, to make it enjoyable while they’re out there sweating their tails off,” Fay said.”
