LONOKE, Ark. — The summer sun hasn't taken a break, and neither have student-athletes working to get ready for their respective sports this upcoming school year.
Titus Yager of Baptist Prep is one of them— and he knows how hot the football field can get.
"Scorching," he said, laughing.
He, along with dozens of other high school football players, have had some group practice at Lonoke High School Tuesday. Practices have been tough, but staying healthy in this heat has been even tougher.
"A lot of our conversations have to do with it being hot and warm and water," Yager said. "But we try to keep each other accountable. Sometimes it's not always that easy."
That's where athletic trainers like Whitney Murray come in. She's got the basics like water and ice packs ready to go, but there's also new technology to help her out.
If you're the parent of an athlete or an athlete yourself, you'll know what a wet bulb globe thermometer is.
"A more accurate measurement of the heat stress that kids get, workers get when they're out in the heat all the time," Murray said.
The thermometer monitors environmental conditions during exercise by tracking things like humidity, air temperature and wind speed, but it still relies on people like Murray to check it.
Newer versions of this tech have proven to be even more helpful.
"It will give you those measurements, and it will keep a log of those measurements as well, so you'll have it documented for your practice times the next day," Murray said.
This updated thermometer will send data straight to Murray's phone. It can be a lifesaver if she's assisting another athlete and can't check the data every 30 minutes as required.
"The more technology we have, the better we can keep these guys safe, makes the playing experience a whole lot more enjoyable for them," Baptist Prep Head Coach Zach Welchman said. "And also allows them to stay longer on the field and participate longer."
That goal is to make sure players like Yager enjoy what they do.
Luckily this new technology helps keep athletes safe and on the field, despite scorching temperatures.
"Enjoy it as much as we can, but also we don't try to take moments for granted," Yager said. "We just try to enjoy it and we work hard."