Coaches aware of importance of proper hydration

By Ron Brocato
Sports

Any old timer who survived the month of August while trying out for his high school football team back in the day will be sure to tell you that the only hydration coaches afforded him came in the form of a bitter salt tablet.

If you were caught snitching a drink of water from a nearby fountain, you paid for it by running laps around the perimeter of the practice field.

Today, team doctors and trainers cringe at the thought of those primitive practices through which teenage boys who wanted to play football had to prove themselves in such a dangerous and senseless manner; especially in 2022, when the summer heat is more intense than it was 50 years ago.

Archbishop Rummel athletic director Jay Roth remembers when he reported for practice on the first day of preseason camp in 1977.

“Playing for Coach Don Perret at Rummel, we were given a little yellow salt tablet to take before practice and after practice,” Roth recalled. “And we had a water fountain on the field we called the ‘Five-Mile Fountain.’ You could look at it, but you couldn’t drink from it. And if you dared to take a drink, you were going to run.”

The word hydration and its necessity to keep the human body functioning at its peak in critical heat conditions were not yet understood or practiced by anyone as mortal as a coach.

“When we had breaks, we had little Dixie cups of water or what we called ‘Raiderade,’” Roth said. “We had maybe one or two breaks at practice, and that was it. If you were lucky to get a piece of ice in your cup, you’d put it in your helmet to cool your head.”

As coaches and other school officials have learned from health and wellness agencies and nutritionists, being properly hydrated can boost an athlete’s performance while reducing muscle fatigue and the risk of injury.

Water is the body’s most essential nutrient, one the body doesn’t have the capacity for storing. Electrolytes are even more essential because water doesn’t contain electrolytes.

Prep coaches in every sport have undergone instruction from the Louisiana High School Athletic Association on how to care for the well-being of athletes. And athletic trainers are the first line of defense for ensuring the athlete is fully prepared for his task.

Trainers play key roles

Archbishop Hannan head football coach Corey Bordelon oversees a team of 50 to 60 players, and his trainers play a key role in their health.

“Our trainers do a phenomenal job of seeing that the kids are well hydrated,” Bordelon said. “Every morning, there will be 50, six-pack jugs, 24 ounces each. We have a jug for each player. The D-line has a water station, and the O-line has a water station. The other thing is us being proactive. We tell our parents to please make sure their sons are hydrated before they come to practice.”

And Hannan’s training staff is proactive, Bordelon added, “not only communicating with me, but with the moms and dads as well.”

Generally, the human body is made up of 50-75% water. A pamphlet in my doctor’s office notes that water forms the basis of blood, digestive juices, urine and perspiration, and water is contained in lean muscle, fat and bones.

The effects of dehydration take their toll on the athletes’ metabolism in the form of decreased performance because of muscle cramps, dizziness and even nausea.

High school coaches like Roth learned the importance of keeping their young athletes healthy through hydration and proper conditioning.

“A coach never wants to see a kid go down on his watch,” Roth said. “So, we bought hydration machines that made water available to any player at any time in practice as long as he was not involved in a play or actively practicing. If they are in a huddle or on the side, the players can drink as much as they want to make sure we keep these kids safe.”

The days of being a tough guy as a coach are over.

“Back in the day coaches kind of acted as trainers,” he said. “Today, every school has a certified trainer and a team doctor to look after your players. We have cold tubs, and after practice, you may see some players sitting in these little pools of cold water to regenerate their legs and to cool down. If a kid even says he’s not feeling well, you don’t tell him to tough it out. As an assistant coach, I’ve seen players during two-a-days get so dehydrated that they cramped up and had to go to the hospital to get IVs.

“Hydration doesn’t start when you get on the field. You’re going to have water and drinks at practice, but hydration starts the day and night before. And that goes on the entire season.”

Roth remembers the days of salt tablets and the feeling of being tired and sore.

“I want our kids to be healthy,” he said. “I don’t want them to miss a game or half a game because there isn’t water or juice on the sideline. They should drink until their eyes are almost floating.”

rbrocato@clarionherald.org