Kids in Sports with Summer Heat

I wanted to write a quick blog to share how we combat summer heat with sports this summer. We live in Texas and it gets hot here. This is the first summer my son was going to be very active in the heat so I tried to research different options to prevent heatstroke and heat exhaustion and keep him cool. First, I reviewed symptoms with him and told him it was important to let someone know if he had any of them. Here’s a good article for parents: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/sports-medicine/2017/06/what-parents-need-to-know-about-preventing-heat-related-illnesses/

My son was in a summer camp every Monday/ Wednesday during the summer heat for an hour and a half at 5 pm. Temps usually stayed in the high 90’s at this time. I wanted him to acclimate to the heat for another full-day camp in Dallas he was going to attend. At FC Dallas camp he would be outside for 7 hours working hard for 6 hours. With tournaments and Fall practice starting, I thought I’d share to help any of you looking for a way to keep your kids cool. I bought anything I could to help.

So, at the beginning of the camp, I was packing a sweat rag in a plastic zip-lock bag with ice and water. Then a friend told me she used an extra water bottle. I wanted something that he could easily put in his bag and that would last all day since he would be doing an all-day camp later in the summer. I came up with the idea to have a 24oz stainless food container as his designated sweat rag holder. This worked well to hold a rag or two and his cooling neck gaiter he wore on his head and bonus it fits in the side pocket of his soccer bag. It is wide enough for him to stick his hand in easily. This way he could alternate rags and have cold water all day and he wasn’t wasting his drinking water. I also bought this stainless steel water bottle that I am loving so far. It has a dual lid so he can pour or use the straw. It came with a carrying case for some protection and keeps ice cold in Texas heat all day. Now that we have been using it for a year, I can say I still love this bottle. It has kept ice through all-day tournaments and it has definitely held up through the wear and tear of everyday use for a year. Another option is long sleeve fishing shirts that offer SPF 50. You often see coaches wearing these since they are in the sun all day.

For a tournament the boys just did, I decided to use a small plastic ice chest with ice and water with about 8 rags. They could all use them and dunk them when needed between games. The ice melted fast due to being open a lot but overall it got the job done. The boys put the rags around their necks and inside their jerseys so they would not flap around and the cold would be pressed against their chest.

Some other items I bought were a neck fan that he keeps in his bag and can use when he is between games. I bought these DUKE cold wipes. I have to be honest we haven’t used them but they had great reviews. I think he forgets about them. I may use one at the next tournament. After a hard day, I tell my son to soak in a warm Epsom Salt bath to help relax his muscles and help him get some good sleep before the next day’s grind. I almost bought these Heat Shield Inserts but my son has not complained about his feet being hot. At the camp, kids were pouring water on their feet due to the turf temps burning their feet. These would have come in handy for those kids. A good SPF bucket hat is good to keep in your bag to help give them some shade between games.

For Parents

It’s hot for parents also! I have a rag I added to the mix for myself when at tournaments. In the past, I had a sports umbrella that attached to my chair and it worked well but if there was wind it was not the best. After 2 years it broke at the head of the umbrella. I had a large 62-inch golf umbrella I took to Disney to cover me pushing the stroller that I decided to put back in the car. I put the handle behind my back and lean against it. It has done well to block the sun in all directions. I need two hands to take photos at games so it’s nice to have my hands free. It also has vents so the wind is not too much of an issue. I have these small fans that I will rave about anytime I take it out. I keep it in my purse and use it anytime! It’s so convenient to have and is pretty powerful. Honestly, the whole family has a color and we all use them often usually at Disney. Here’s another fan option that I take with me to the beach. It has a long-lasting battery and can clip onto your chair. It is pretty powerful and can double as a phone charger in a pinch.