Turf Heat

My daughter just starting playing up a few months ago and is all of a sudden playing on Artificial Turf at times. She played 2 games yesterday and 1 game today. She woke up this morning and her feet were sore. I thought I would buy her those Scholls inserts.

After her game today that was at 11:00 when the air temperature was 83 degrees, she was having some minor symptoms of heat exhaustion. She also complained about her feet being really hot. While she had to be somewhat active diving to save many balls, it wasn't as much as Keeper training on a hot day. I know the Turf is much hotter than air temp. so I figure the issue has to do with standing in one place for periods of time. She has already recovered but I am concerned as she will be playing in much hotter temps. in the coming months.

It seems like Keepers would struggle with it more than other players which is why I am asking Keeper parents if they have recommendations on the best cleats to insulate her from the turf heat and/or any other suggestions learned along the way?
 
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For a keeper to have heat exhaustion symptoms in 83 degree weather, I am assuming a younger, seems to be an issue wholly removed form any issues with artificial turf. Hydration, hydration, hydration, the days before games, till they are peeing a lot at least every 2 hours or so.
 
Get her our of her cleats and socks as soon as the game is over and find a place where she can cool down with her feet up. Perhaps try a different cleat/turf shoe. If she is having a problem now with 83 degree heat, it will be much worse out at Norco during the heat of summer. And yes, hydrate like mad.
 
For a keeper to have heat exhaustion symptoms in 83 degree weather, I am assuming a younger, seems to be an issue wholly removed form any issues with artificial turf. Hydration, hydration, hydration, the days before games, till they are peeing a lot at least every 2 hours or so.
Hydration starts 4 days prior. As you approach game day you should begin to taper your water consumption. The day before your game/event you should not be consuming water above what you would normally consume. You can actually consume too much water...

Try using something like Endurolytes. You can take those just before playing and at halftime.

Word to the wise. Never try something new before a game/event. Always try new things at/before practice or training.
 
When I am going to referee on art-turf I will start serious hydration three days prior with water and electrolyte drinks. I use Nunn electrolyte tablets. They do not have all the useless sugar that Gatorade or Powerade has. Drinks water pregame and electrolyte drinks and a protein drink post game. At halftime drink 16oz of half water and half electrolyte drink. My feet are usually sore after three games on art-turf so I fill a Home Depot bucket with ice water and soak each foot for 10 minutes. It helps reduce the swelling and helps reduce any pain.

You might want to get her some light weight keeper jersey and wear shorts instead of keeper pants. Find a color other than black. If she has two pair of cleats change cleats at halftime. Also buy some light colored cleats for art-turf.
 
My daughter just starting playing up a few months ago and is all of a sudden playing on Artificial Turf at times. She played 2 games yesterday and 1 game today. She woke up this morning and her feet were sore. I thought I would buy her those Scholls inserts.

After her game today that was at 11:00 when the air temperature was 83 degrees, she was having some minor symptoms of heat exhaustion. She also complained about her feet being really hot. While she had to be somewhat active diving to save many balls, it wasn't as much as Keeper training on a hot day. I know the Turf is much hotter than air temp. so I figure the issue has to do with standing in one place for periods of time. She has already recovered but I am concerned as she will be playing in much hotter temps. in the coming months.

It seems like Keepers would struggle with it more than other players which is why I am asking Keeper parents if they have recommendations on the best cleats to insulate her from the turf heat and/or any other suggestions learned along the way?

My son was reacting the same way (playing/training on grass) this weekend and even though he has played in weather where air temp is 100 he reacted poorly today even though the temp was only 85. My best guess is because this was the first really hot day of the summer he isn't used to it, we hadn't prepared with the days in advance hydration, and even though the air was running he slept fidgety the night before. To me it felt hotter than it really was too.

At least with the youngers, the other thing that keepers have to face is that the field players are running around and perspiring (which cools them) and are distracted by the pain elsewhere (of running) and then can get subbed out. The keeper has long stretches where the are trying to stay focused but having nothing to do but think "dang it's hot", take longer to build up a sweat, and aren't subbed out.
 
My son was reacting the same way (playing/training on grass) this weekend and even though he has played in weather where air temp is 100 he reacted poorly today even though the temp was only 85. My best guess is because this was the first really hot day of the summer he isn't used to it, we hadn't prepared with the days in advance hydration, and even though the air was running he slept fidgety the night before. To me it felt hotter than it really was too.

At least with the youngers, the other thing that keepers have to face is that the field players are running around and perspiring (which cools them) and are distracted by the pain elsewhere (of running) and then can get subbed out. The keeper has long stretches where the are trying to stay focused but having nothing to do but think "dang it's hot", take longer to build up a sweat, and aren't subbed out.
And living in an air conditioned house, which is depleted of humidity, further dehydrates.
 
At our scrimmage yesterday one of the coaches turned the sprinkler on before the first half ended..definitely helped drop the temp. on the turf. And my other kids loved the opportunity to run in the sprinklers as well. Then the other team got a corner kick. My GK went to attempt what I thought was box the high ball out and slipped giving up a goal. I thought she slipped on wet turf. I asked her after the game what happened.
(The coach from the other team was a complete a-hole. Yelling and screaming the whole game for bad calls and constantly berating the refs.)
Turns out one of his girls (his actual daughter) thought she was Johnny from Cobra Kai and took a sweep at her leg tripping her!! Nice.
That's ok. We still beat them..and we were short players. :)
 
I read that the Artificial Turf is approximately 50 Degrees hotter than the air temp. I don't know how accurate that is but it seems somewhat true considering my daughter told me her feet were unusually hot. Considering she is standing for a significant amount of time it stands to reason that the heat has a greater opportunity to soak into her feet at high levels raising her overall body temp. That is why I think she was impacted by the heat like she never has been impacted before.

I love this board! Thank you so much for the focused hydration/cooling suggestions when playing on turf! You basically have to be hyper vigilant like they are playing in over 100 degree temp no matter what the temp is. I am going to try the foil too!
 
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