As North Hollywood experiences excessive temperatures along with extreme heat waves, several outdoor activities have been put on hold for the safety of North Hollywood residents.
Within the first week of September, temperatures have been as high as 110 degrees fahrenheit. With such drastic temperatures, the human body is at higher risk of heat exhaustion and eventually heat stroke. Heat exhaustion may also occur due to high humidity and strenuous physical activity.
Generally, the heat has more mild symptomatic effects on the body including: nausea, fatigue, dizziness, headache, dehydration, etc. The heat also has the effect of lowering blood pressure and increasing pulse, which can be detrimental to the body systems. Staying hydrated is vital when being out in the heat and when playing sports in general. When you sweat, your body releases its fluids and electrolytes, so make sure that being dehydrated is not added to the list of concerns.
Here at North Hollywood High School, sport administrators are taking extra precautions due to the drastic heat. Several sports games, outdoor activities, and outdoor lunch areas have been canceled or closed off for the safety and health of students.
For the safety of their players, sports including Girls Flag Football and Girls tennis were advised to cancel and postpone their games.
Flag Football player, Juliet Morales (#8), understandingly explains, “Honestly I didn’t feel too bad about that (game being canceled) since it gave us this extra week to practice more. I agreed with the situation with canceling the first game since we are doing flag football for the first time. We need to get all the practice we could get”
As the majority of sports were understanding regarding postponement and rescheduling outdoor activities, North Hollywood’s football team was determined to play their game scheduled for Friday, Sept. 6th.
The game remained as scheduled as temperatures were expected to drop to low 90’s by 7pm. Players had to look for different types of motivations in this type of weather.
Football Captain, Jordan Alvarez (#54), honestly states, “I wanted the game to be rescheduled, it’s literally so hard to play in that type of heat. It gets you physically and mentally and it’s a challenge every second. But, we all wanted to play because of our former teammate who transferred to that team (El Camino Real Charter High School). We had to show him he shouldn’t have left.”
Tennis athlete Jamie Mendoza expresses, “ a week and a half of canceled practices were worth sitting out because the heat is unethical to play in. For the safety of the outdoor teams, I agree with administrators canceling outdoor activities under extreme temperatures.”
As we enter the second week of September, temperatures are expected to drop back to high 80’s to low 90’s. However, it is still important to practice heat safety precautions.
Remaining hydrated is essential for the human body. If you can, make sure to bring a reusable water bottle with cold water daily. There are also several water fountains around campus for students to refill their water bottle or get a sip of water throughout the day.
Avoiding outdoor activities when unnecessary may also make a difference. Although they may be fun, it is recommended to remain in shaded and air conditioned areas during the heat.
Lastly, it won’t help you stay cool, but sunscreen is vitally important for protecting the skin from harmful UV rays while outdoors. It is highly recommended to use a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks UVA (UltraViolet A) and UVB (UltraViolet B) rays and has a 50 SPF (Sun Protector Factor).
As the temperatures intensify, it is essential to prioritize your health and safety. It is the smallest things that could make the biggest difference. Make sure to take necessary precautions, stay hydrated, and look out for one another.
