On The Football Field, Coaches use Igloo Coolers to go Head to Head with Texas HeatKaty, Texas, (September 16, 2011) - At Cinco Ranch High School, coaches know that there’s an unseen opponent on the field menacing their players – the heat. The hottest Texas summer in decades has brought the danger of dehydration front and center. And coaches like Jerry Miller, assistant football coach and head softball coach at Cinco Ranch High School in Katy is on the case.
Says Coach Miller, hydrating during practice or at a game is only one-third of the job. “We emphasize water before, during and after practice and all games,” he said. “We especially talk to our players about paying strict attention to hydrating at least two days before competition. At practice and at games, we have water readily available and we encourage our athletes to drink even when they don’t feel thirsty. We tell them that, if they’re thirsty, they’re already late to be rehydrating.”
Dehydration is a serious problem when exercising in the heat. “The body loses fluid at a surprisingly rapid rate,” says Coach Miller. “We have weigh-ins before and after practice and, if there’s a discrepancy, we address it immediately with the athlete and with their parents. The partnership with parents is critical in keeping our athletes healthy.
“We build water breaks, from five to ten minutes for water and a breather, into all our practices. Frankly, we watch our players for any signs of dehydration like their lives depended on it.”
Coach Miller believes in having water and sports drinks where they’re needed. “We keep our Igloo coolers on the sidelines and in our dugouts. Our players are never more than a few yards from hydration and that’s the way it has to be.” The school uses Igloo 5 and 10 gallon beverage coolers to keep water where it’s needed for the team.
According to Igloo Director of Marketing, Sue Miller Payton, hydrating athletes is foremost in designers’ minds when creating the next generation of water containers. “We spend time with coaches like Jerry Miller to find out how we can optimize our water containers for use by his athletes and coaching staff,” she said. “The whole idea behind working with the people who use our coolers is to make them more effective in keeping people hydrated and healthy. And, I’ll bet if you ask the coach, he’ll also say that it’s also one of the ways you win football games.”
Says Coach Miller, it’s not just water containers that help him do his job. “We also use Igloo 60-Quart Ice Cube Rollers to keep oranges and grapes cold and fresh. Fruit is an effective tool in dealing with dehydration and electrolyte balance in our athletes at halftime,” he said. “And those chests are on wheels, so our young student trainers can easily transport them around any athletic venue.”
Asked what he uses as an incentive for athletes to stay hydrated, he had a ready answer. “The biggest incentive is playing time. If they aren’t properly hydrated, it shows up in their performance on the field. Poor performance equates to time on the sidelines, next to the coach, watching another player in their position. There is no worse feeling for a true competitor. It doesn’t take long for them to get it. Heat related injuries are avoidable. It’s a critical part of our job and we take it very seriously here in Texas.”
For more information on Igloo’s line of hydration-aiding coolers and beverage containers, contact Sue Miller Payton at smpayton@igloocorp.com
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Founded in 1947, Texas-based Igloo Products Corporation is today an international designer, manufacturer and marketer of outdoor products that make the outdoor experience more accessible and more fun. So whether it’s on the water, near the water, on the trail, on the hunt, in the mountains or just around the house for family fun, Igloo goes where you go and makes the experience better. For more information on Igloo, visit the company's Web site at www.igloocoolers.com.
