Staying hydrated on minds of many prep athletes

Staying hydrated on minds of many prep athletes

August 11, 2001

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Staying hydrated seems to be on the minds of many players and coaches as area prep fall sports teams will get under way with practices. Monday, Aug. 13, is the first official day for Colorado High School Activities Association high schools to get their fall sports under way.

Boys golf for Montezuma-Cortez High School actually started Aug. 1 and the Panthers hit the balls on the course at Bookcliff in Grand Junction on Monday, Aug. 13, and will be Tiara Rado on Tuesday, Aug. 14. and Rifle on Wednesday, Aug. 15. The MCHS boys tennis got started with informal workouts on July 31 and will start hitting the ball over the net for real this Friday and Saturday, Aug. 17-18, as the Panthers head to Fruita-Monument and Montrose.

As a final reminder, here are the sports, coaches and times of first practices:

For Montezuma-Cortez High School: Volleyball (grades 9-12) with coach Lindy Mortensen main gym from 8:30-11:30 a.m.; boys soccer (9-12) with Todd Starr 7-9 a.m. south field at Parque de Vida and 6-8 p.m. at Johnson practice field; boys and girls cross-country (9-12) with Amber Olson (contact MCHS Athletic Director’s Office at 565-3722, extension 123 for more details but will start at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, at MCHS; football (10-12) with Karl McGee at 8 a.m. in MCHS varsity locker room; boys golf (9-12) with Jack Jacobson now under way at Conquistador Golf Course; softball (9-12) with Charlie Rosenbaugh at 5:30 p.m. at Parque de Vida Field; and boys tennis (9-12) with Jim Harkendorff 8-10 a.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Parque de Vida Tennis Courts.

For Dolores High School: Football (10-12) with Don Story after morning breakfast beginning at 7 a.m.; volleyball (9-12) with Joye McHenry after the breakfast.

For Dolores County High School: Football (10-12) with Ken Soper at 9 a.m. meeting at DCHS; volleyball with Sarah Glover also at 9 a.m. in Bulldog Memorial Gym.

For Mancos High School: Football (10-12) with Gordon Shepherd at 7:45 a.m.; volleyball with Mona Shepherd at 5:30 p.m. in Mancos Performance Center.

With the recent heat stroke death of Minnesota Vikings All-Pro Korey Stringer plus two other high school players, there is a heightened awareness as practice is under way and the August heat is on. Stringer was taken to a Mankato, Minn., hospital after the Vikings conducted practice in stifling heat and humidity. The lineman's body temperature reportedly was 108 degrees when he arrived at the hospital, where he died hours later.

It will be hard not to see a high school student-athlete drinking a bottle of water. Or a bottle of Gatorade, PowerAde or whatever the sports drink of choice might be.

Colorado High School Activities Association associate commissioner Burt Borgmann reported that Bill Reader, another associate commissioner of the Colorado High School Activities Association who oversees football, sent CHSAA member schools booklets about safety issues and advisories for outdoor fall sports. Reader reported the literature is from the National Federation of High School Associations - with a section focusing on heat-related illness - also was sent to schools a few weeks ago. Reader said there has never been a heat-related death of a football player in Colorado.

It wasn’t that long ago during football practice when a player got water only at the end of practice. Coaches back in the late 1960s and early 1970s seemed like dictators by saying, "you will get water only at the end of practice or we will give it to you if you perform well." Sometimes there were no water breaks, according to Borgmann, who spoke at the annual Sports Editor’s meeting in Greeley.

MCHS Athletic Director Mike Allison said, "everyone of our coaches are aware of it (heat stroke), even before all this recent news. But with our increased humidity around here, it’s something we need to watch. Our coaches are good about letting them have water breaks. They are professionals. In fact, the football coaches are redesigning their water station and arranging practices so the players can get access if they need it."

Fortunately, Colorado doesn’t have the high humidity as in the Midwest or East, but it the index does get hot enough to warrant needed water breaks. However, in Colorado there is high altitude. Moisture evaporates from the body at altitude, which prevents the body from sweating. Sweating is the way the body cools itself and eliminates heat. When the body gets overheated, heat stroke can occur causing organs to begin shutting down and possible death as in the case of Stringer.

This fall marks the debut of several new head varsity coaches at area schools.

At MCHS, the new boys golf coach is Jack Jacobson who replaces Mike Allison, who also dropped coaching wrestling as well in order to concentrate on his full-time duties as athletic director. Jim Harkendorff replaces Ricky Carver as head boys tennis coach. The new boys and girls cross-country coach is Amber Olson who replaces Dave Dillman. Tara Hankins is the new cheerleading sponsor, replacing Maggie Tevault.

At Mancos High School, Gordon Shepherd takes over the reins of the football program from eight-year head coach Terry Newlin.

At Dolores County High School, Sarah (Sutter) Glover is the new head volleyball coach. She replaces Scott Crawford.

Back for a second year heading up the softball program at MCHS is Charlie Rosenbaugh. Lindy Mortensen is back for another season guiding the volleyball team. Todd Starr is back for another season leading the boys soccer team. Karl McGee is starting his second year with the football program.

Longtime coach Ken Soper will once again be at helm of the football team at DCHS. Kati Banks will be back as cheerleading sponsor.

Don Story will start his second season as head football coach at Dolores High School. Joye McHenry will back as the volleyball coach. Pat Higgins is the spirit coach at DHS.

Mona Shepherd will start her second season with the Mancos High School volleyball program. Tim Dunham will back to guide the MHS cross-country teams. Cecilia Williams will start her second season with the cheerleaders.

All area student-athletes need to be sure to have all their required paperwork filled and signed. Most schools will have papers available by the first of August. Insurance waiver, physicals, parent/guardian release, and others such as travel/conduct papers inked.