As the South Bakes, Is it Too Hot for High School Football?

Lightning strikes above the live oaks lining the practice field in this coastal town in southeast Georgia. Coach Jeff Herron blows his whistle three times, giving the evacuation orders. A cheer of "Hey!" erupts from the 160 football players as they happily hustle off the field and into the gym. Coach Herron doesn't share their enthusiasm. A lost practice puts his Camden County High School Wildcats — three-time state champions, in '03, '08, and '09 — even further behind schedule. On Aug. 1, the team was forced to scale back its first full-contact practice due to this year's new statewide heat rules. "It was on the border," Herron said of that day's weather reading, a complex formula of temperature, humidity and radiant heat. "We were planning on coming out in full pads, but we couldn't do it."To read more, click here.