Heat and intense exercise can be a fatal combination; this summer proved especially deadly as a rash of heat-related deaths on the football field have players and coaches worried.

Most recently, a 14-year-old high school football player in Houston collapsed during practice and died shortly thereafter.

In another case, Minnesota Vikings lineman Korey Stringer died of heat stroke in early August during practice in temperatures of over 90 degrees.

“It scares the heck out of me,” University of Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. “You’re hot and you think you’re okay and there’s no warning.”

University of Illinois head football coach Ron Turner also expressed his concerns on the recent heat-related athlete deaths.

“We put a lot of emphasis on working hard, but we need to work on educating athletes on the dangers of over-training,” Turner said.

The UW-Madison football team made heat safety a top priority during their preseason practices.

According to the UW Athletic Department, the team schedules mandatory weigh-ins at the beginning and end of every practice. The amount of weight lost at the end of practice is used to calculate the amount of water that each player must drink to remain hydrated.

“Athletes, when it’s heat-related, have to be trained and have to take a responsibility,” UW head coach Barry Alvarez said.

Heat stroke is a deadly condition in which the body is unable to cool itself, causing its core temperature to rise as high as 106 degrees. Heat stroke causes loss of consciousness and eventually death if untreated.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more people die each year in the United States from heat-related emergencies than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined.

An average of 300 people die every year from extreme heat, the CDC reported. Young children, the elderly, and overweight people have a higher than normal risk of developing heat stroke.
Athletes and others engaging in vigorous activity are particularly susceptible to heat stroke, and a prior history of asthma can complicate the condition.

Leonard Carter, the Houston football player, had asthma, but passed his pre-season physical exam, according to Houston Independent School District spokeswoman Heather Browne. Houston temperatures were in the low 90s on the day of his death; however, according to CNN, it is unknown whether he suffered from actual heat stroke or another emergency complicated by the intense heat.

In a Minnesota Vikings team statement, it was reported that Stringer had been exhibiting signs of heat stroke during the practice, including rapid breathing and weakness. The statement also said that Stringer had a core body temperature of over 108 degrees prior to his death.

Early warning signs of heatstroke are often overlooked. Confusion usually presents itself early. According to the CDC, other signs include high body temperature (above 103 degrees), red-hot dry skin, headache, nausea, and a rapid, strong pulse.

Any persons suspected of suffering from heat stroke should be immediately transported by ambulance to a hospital. Heat-stroke victims need to be cooled as rapidly as possible. To cool the victim, doctors recommend removing the victim’s clothing and immersing the victim in cold water, or placing ice packs on their neck, groin, and armpits until EMS arrives. Victims should not be given any alcoholic drinks, as alcohol may actually cause the body to lose fluid during hot weather, the CDC says.

The CDC recommends that athletes and others doing heavy physical activity outside during hot weather drink 16 to 32 ounces of water every hour.