Posted: $util.date("h:mm a MMM d, yyyy",$story.contentLiveDate,$timeZone)
Reporter: John Chapman

Football, Band Practice Times Moved To Beat The Heat

The hot, dry weather continues its grip on the country. As children prepare to return to school it's more of a concern. Accommodations are being made.

No matter what you're doing, if you're outside in the heat it’s good to come inside and cool off with a cool drink or just get into some air conditioning. The Salvation Army has set up a cooling station at 24th and Pratt in Omaha just for that and if you have to work or play outside, make sure to get plenty of water and take a lot of breaks.

The Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson High School football team is taking many water breaks during its preparations for the upcoming season. The hot weather forces a different kind of practice for now. There are no pads, no helmets and workout times have changed in order to beat the heat.

"We went from 7 to 10 in the morning and do two, two-hour practices in the morning, get the kids out of the heat for an hour or so between and the benefit of that is you still get your practice time, but you’re doing it before the dead of the heat,” said coach Mark Puey.

It also gives the practice field a break. The natural grass field has not received much rain lately and the field is breaking down faster than usual.

There are a lot of breaks between plays and the players know it’s important to stay hydrated. "Lots of water breaks, ice towels and we have managers who always have water when we need it so we're always hydrated,” said junior Matt Raes.

“It does get difficult to concentrate, but we get so used to it now we can push through it as the season goes on,” said senior Michael Speight.

It's important to have cool shoes on if you're in the marching band. These TJ students work just as hard as the football team. They also have changed the hours they practice. “We try to get the bulk of our marching done in the morning with those four hours when it’s generally cooler,” said band director Steve Moore.

Lots of water breaks here also and practice is sometimes held inside, away from the sun’s rays. Anything to help students remain focused on the task at hand.

"It’s pretty hard ‘cause you get pretty crabby and when you get crabby with other people, band mates and band directors, try not to yell at everybody is pretty difficult sometimes,” said senior Sarah Ingwersen.

School starts August 15th in Council Bluffs. Maybe by then temperatures will have cooled a bit and cooling stations won’t be necessary.

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