A heat wave hit Oak Park during the first week September, with temperatures as high as 105 degrees, affecting athletes, coaches, students and staff throughout the high school. 

While some coaches shortened practices and modified them for the heat, many students were still required to participate in mandatory training.

“The heat we experienced the week of [September 1] was record-breaking, even for this time of the year,” superintendent Tony Knight wrote to the Talon.

By the end of the week, the temperature was still high. A football game against Viewpoint was to be held Friday Sept. 1, but administration had to consider the heat and other circumstances, like the temperature of the turf, to decide if the game would be held. Principal Kevin Buchanan and assistant principal Jason Meskis concluded it would be cancelled and announced their decision the morning of the game.

“While the ambient temperature may have been forecast to be 99 degrees at game time, the actual temperature on the field would have been higher than that, thus exacerbating the danger to players,” Knight wrote.

In addition to Oak Park’s football game, Sacramento, Allen-Santa Rosa and Pacific Grove High School cancelled or postponed their games.

Some coaches altered their practices to adapt to the heat.

“We have never had to modify the practice or change the times or anything, the only modifications we’ll do is attire,” head football coach Casey Webb said. “We’ll modify if it gets over the top hot; instead of going full pads we’ll go helmets and shoulder pads. If it’s really hot, we’ll have them wear just helmets, and we give them more water breaks, too.” 

The heat wave impacted athletes in different ways.

“It’s hotter especially in cheer when we are stunting and close together. During that week, our coach cut practice short because we were lagging from the heat,” sophomore and cheerleader Josephine Sharpstone said.

Athletes from different sports had varying reactions to the heat.

“Practice wasn’t harder due to the temperatures,” sophomore and junior varsity football captain Esteban Mendez said. “After every drill we would get water breaks. No one has suffered from the heat, because practices are modified when they need to be.”

Cross country runners said the heat wave negatively affected practices.

“Running in the heat was pretty terrible, not gonna lie. If it’s 104 degrees and you’re running it’s not that fun,” freshman and cross country runner Gillian Ong said. “I didn’t notice a difference in performance, but going into it my mindset was definitely a little more negative just because it was so hot.”

The athletic coaches follow the outlined Administrative Regulations set forth by the district.

According to the Heat Index Guidelines, “During the school year, on dates that exceed 95 degrees or above, a district designee will inform the schools of the Heat Advisory. Once the Heat Advisory is communicated, a school designee will inform all staff of the Heat Advisory and the suggested guidelines will be put into place.”

This heat wave set record temperatures for the school year.

“We have a strong commitment to what we call our Climate of Care in Oak Park USD and will take the necessary actions to protect our students even it means making a potentially unpopular decision, such as to cancel a game,” Knight wrote. “Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are very serious conditions that can be life threatening.”