FCArmstrong

This first full weekend in June feels more like a week in August. Unfortunately I’m still doing games into June instead of taking the SUP out on the river and battling the wake boats to stand up. Today was a day that I wouldn’t mind falling off the board and taking the dip in the river. The heat was a big part of the games that I was on today. Here’s a reminder that it is only a game and player safety is our number one reason for doing what we do on the pitch.

Today’s kickoff at 10:30am for an inhouse U-10 game was 84 degrees Fahrenheit and direct sun. Our referee team instituted a hydration and cooling break midway through each half to hopefully prevent any heat related injuries. During our 11:30 U-14 inhouse game we continued with the hydration breaks but decided to end the game at the 2nd half hydration break when the coaches agreed that most of their players were having issues related to the heat.

We had our games on grass today, but the turf can raise the temperature another 20 degrees.

I published something last year for my team in Kittanning, but now it’s time to publish a referee version especially after making it my key teaching point today on the pitch. Here’s US Soccer’s official playbook on heat, hydration and illness.