So my kid's volunteer referee matches for AYSO just got shut down for the weekend. Hearing several cities and school districts might be revoking permits for the weekend due to excessive heat (his school just revoked their commercial weekend permits too). SoCal League is apparently giving teams the option to play or cancel, depending on local conditions and permits.
Heat warning this weekend
- Thread starter Grace T.
- Start date
Rollonyoubears
BRONZE
Here in San Diego (EC) it's going to be 100 in the afternoon. SoCal is leaving it up to home teams to decide. I know the team we are playing is not cancelling. I've heard EC Surf cancelled their home games and Crusaders has cancelled all of their rec games at least. Everyone says the kid's safety comes first, but apparently that isn't always the case...
For interscholastic sports, I believe this became effective July 1, 2024. Most schools will fall into Cat 1 (all of SD County for example). 86.2 seems pretty low but its wet bulb temperature. Not sure how that correlates to our regular temperature given our low humidity. I'd be more worried about the parents and not the kids in this heat.
Rollonyoubears
BRONZE
If you go to cdph.ca.gov they recommend cancelling all outdoor activities between 10am and 5pm if you are in Extreme category (Magenta / Level 4), which is that we'll be in here in parts of SD. the game we play on Saturday will be on a turf facility, so even hotter.
I had to pull my child from playing in Norco during a hot summer showcase. Coach and many parents felt the heat was just dry heat and safe. I told them, "Sorry, were sitting out this one out and going to the beach as a family." That's called taking control of your kids' safety and the long drive to Norco from Laguna. I took some heat from a few parents and the coach because they wanted my kid there. One dude said this will prep them for college soccer. I'm the one who paid, and they just wanted my kid's ability to score and help the team win while my daughter struggles from heat stroke. Hell no!!!
My son has a 7pm football game tomorrow, so he will be fine. JV may have an issue.
According to a wet bulb conversion calculator on-line (which I'm not trusting), the estimated WBT right now in EC at 104 degrees and 27% humidity is 77 degrees.
Insane!!!
It's a dry heat.
It's funny; son's played in a tournament in Norco a few weeks ago, when it was ~95F on the field. It was certainly hot for me on the sidelines, but I don't think the kids noticed as much, and didn't see anyone on any team there with any significant issues. They had hydration breaks during the game and such, but otherwise not really a big deal.
I think there are probably different tolerances and standards in different areas. I know we have played club regular season games where the field temp was ~105F. Mid 90's is normal for other areas in the country (ie: not near the ocean). It's not comfortable, for sure, but cancelling all events when the temp is >92F seems overly conservative, at least to me.
Addendum to my comment above: I was reading more about WBGT, and I was confused by that difference; WBGT is significantly different than measured temperature. See: https://www.omnicalculator.com/physics/wet-bulb
A 95F day with 50% humidity is just under 80F WBGT. The chart above is much more reasonable in that context. By way of example, the forecasted hottest part of the day on Sat here is 93F with 41% humidity, which is only 74.88 WBGT, ie: normal activities. This makes much more sense than my initial impression of that chart.
A 95F day with 50% humidity is just under 80F WBGT. The chart above is much more reasonable in that context. By way of example, the forecasted hottest part of the day on Sat here is 93F with 41% humidity, which is only 74.88 WBGT, ie: normal activities. This makes much more sense than my initial impression of that chart.
The event we were scheduled to play in was 100+
Surfref
PREMIER
If that game starts after 11am, your coach should cancel and request a reschedule due to excessive heat. If I were your referee, I would say that we are not playing. I will be bringing my wet and dry bulb thermometer that can also measure surface temperature. If it is too hot, we will not play. I am on grass this weekend, but if I was on turf then I would measure the surface temperature. In the past at 97 degree air temperature the turf has measured around 145 to 150 degrees which is too hot to play. One of the coaches got all pissed off and the other was happy I measure the turf temperature and we did not play the game.
Surfref
PREMIER
This weekend most of San Diego County east of I-5 to the mountains is predicted to be from 100 to 111 degrees with poor air quality and a sun index of 9-10. There is absolutely no reason to play in those conditions and games should be rescheduled. Even some coastal cities are predicted to hit 100+, on Sunday Carlsbad 100, Oceanside 101. My sister lives in the Glendora area and said the thermometer on her patio in the shade read 114 today and she said it is predicted to be 107 this weekend. My buddy in Palm Desert said it was 126 at his house today, so I don’t feel bad at 102 at my house today.
My kid played for the Natty in Texas, and it was 105 degrees, and the Texas folks were like, "what, this is nothing. It's dry heat so stop complaining" Thank God the Natty game was late in the evening but that was gnarly weather. I will say the heat in Norco with the smog is not good after 99, Moo.It's a dry heat.
Rollonyoubears
BRONZE
I find it hard to believe that some of these clubs don't give AF about the safety of kids. Well, maybe I take that back....I'm not surprises with some clubs. I'm specifically talking 2nd and 3rd graders as it pertains to our team's situation. These are not heat conditioned athletes who can police their own hydrating. It's like pulling teeth to get my son to hydrate a day prior to a game, but it's critical. Our club has cancelled all home games after 11am. When it becomes blatantly obvious they'd rather get the forfeit than deal with the inconvenience of rescheduling, you know it isn't about the safety of the players. These kids are out there to have fun. And SoCal league has provided ZERO guidance in this. Just "you guys deal with it and tell parents to stop emailing us" email to all staff. We have a parent who is a sports medicine doctor and they are pretty clear it is high risk to play in 100 degree temps, on a turf field in Spring Valley. You can figure out who the club is...
IMO its not so much the heat itself, its the basic preparation for it. Low hundreds with low humidity is a non-issue with proper hydration, shade, hydration/cooling breaks, cooling towels etc. Even having a slight breeze makes a huge difference. I went for a hike yesterday in 100+ degree weather with a 20 lb weight vest and with a slight breeze it was tolerable (and I would only consider myself marginally fit). Football kids in East County have been practicing with helmets all week with no issues that I'm aware of. It is really important though for coaches and parents to be aware of the signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion.
As I mentioned before, the heat is more of an issue with parents, and some refs (you know which ones), than it is for healthy, active kids.
As I mentioned before, the heat is more of an issue with parents, and some refs (you know which ones), than it is for healthy, active kids.
High schoolers aren't any better.