COBB COUNTY, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Wednesday is the first official day of high school football practice in Georgia. Teams are practicing with full pads on.
Coaches have new regulations to follow this year as a safeguard against heat related injuries. The tough heat regulations come after two Georgia football players died last year from heat related injuries.
Players at Pope High School are used to playing in the heat.
"I've played in it all my life," quarterback Stephen Skruck said.
They prepare for it before the football season starts.
"I try to stay hydrated and condition throughout the summer so I'm ready to play," wide receiver Mason Shiflett said.
The Greyhounds and teams all across the state are following new heat regulations from the Georgia High School Association this season.
This year, teams were required to play five days with no pads before being allowed to practice with pads for the first time.
"The five days of just helmets gets you back into the rhythm and conditioned, instead of going straight into full pads, which is a high risk of heat exhaustion," Skruck said.
Every field must have a cooling station and a cold immersion tub. The temperature is checked frequently. A wet bulb instrument checks the heat. There are guidelines that determine how teams must modify practice when it hits certain temperatures.
"You've got to take it seriously. Dot your I's, cross you T's. We've got a coach and one of his main jobs is on that wet bulb checking temperatures, keeping a spread sheet of that," coach Matt Kemper said.
For the first time, coaches can be fined $500 to $1,000 if they violate the policy.
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