Football two-a-days are underway at The Woodlands High School and College Park High School, and a local sports medicine physician says the biggest opponent players will face this August isn't on the schedule.
It's the heat.
Dr. Leonardo Taarea, a sports medicine physician at Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital, issued specific hydration and heat-safety guidance Sunday, Aug. 9, for student athletes training outdoors as temperatures remain extreme across the region, according to Woodlands Online.
Taarea's top recommendation: drink 6 to 10 ounces of water every 15 minutes during practice, plus 16 to 24 ounces before and after. He said athletes should stick to water, electrolytes or sports drinks and avoid sugary or caffeinated beverages.
"Look out for symptoms like cramping, dizziness or lightheadedness, heavy sweating, clammy skin, nausea and vomiting and of course fainting," Taarea said, noting that teammates often spot heat illness before coaches do.
Anyone showing those symptoms should seek shade and drink water immediately while a coach is notified, Taarea said.
He also stressed gradual acclimatization, advising players to progressively increase outdoor activity rather than jumping straight into full-intensity workouts. That process helps the body maintain a lower core temperature and store more water, he said.
The broader picture
The guidance arrives as more than 9,000 high school athletes nationally receive treatment for heat illnesses each year, according to CDC estimates reported by Undark. At least 65 teenagers have died from heat-related causes in high school sports since 2000, with the majority being football players.
New UIL heat safety rules that took effect Aug. 1 add another layer of protection. Schools must now measure the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature at least 15 minutes before outdoor practices begin and every 30 minutes during activity, KHOU reported. If the reading hits 92.1 degrees, outdoor practice must be canceled.
What's ahead
Conroe ISD's first day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 12, and The Woodlands Highlanders open their home football season against Bridgeland on Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Shenandoah, according to event listings. The Woodlands HS football program posted on X on Sunday, Aug. 9:
@twhfootball: "The eve of the start of the 2026 Football Season! ARE YOU READY?"
Families looking for a quick checklist from Taarea's guidance: hydrate all day (not just at practice), build up intensity gradually, and watch teammates for cramping, dizziness, nausea or fainting.
