Central Texas high school football games delay start times due to heat
HUTTO, TEXAS - Football season is back in Central Texas, and players have more than just an opposing team to beat this year. They are also facing off against the heat.
"It's not the old school days of just one water hose out there, and you get after it for, you know, a three-hour practice," said Will Compton, the head football coach, and boy's athletic coordinator at Hutto ISD.
Preparing for football season at Hutto ISD looks a little different now, thanks to temperatures hitting triple digits over and over.
Compton said games are pushed back closer to sunset.
"It's not so much for the game time atmosphere, it’s the pregame," said Compton. "They come out and warm up and get loose and get ready for the game. Pushing that back 30 minutes is going to make a big difference in the amount of heat those kids are having to take on and water and stuff like that we’re going to have to get them ready for that game."
Practice starts earlier for the JV and Varsity teams now, too.
Preparing for football season at Hutto ISD looks a little different now, thanks to temperatures hitting triple digits over and over.
"Luckily, we get to get out at 7 in the morning for practice," said William Hammond, Hutto’s quarterback. "Obviously, the sun comes over the bleachers, but our trainers do a really good job of making sure we have water with cold towels and ice-filled in the jugs."
When it's time to suit up for a game, players said that's when it tends to feel the hottest.
"You know how people say the desert is pretty hot?" said Carson LaPlante, a receiver for Hutto. "With all the equipment, it definitely makes it like a few degrees difference with the helmet and the shoulder pads."
But heat or no heat, the game must go on.
And this team said it's ready.
"I think we have a really explosive offense," Hammond. "I’m really excited for our team chemistry, and I'm just really excited to play our first game."
On Friday, Hutto will play at 8 p.m.
This game was pushed back to give time for the temperature to cool off.