California Is Raising Its Heat Threshold for High School Sports. What Do Athletic Trainers Think?

California has approved a change to its heat illness prevention rules that could allow some high school athletes to practice and compete at higher Wet Bulb Globe Temperature readings.

And the decision is already generating discussion among Athletic Trainers.

Under the previous California Interscholastic Federation guidelines, activity thresholds varied by climate region. The maximum WBGT was 86.2°F in coastal areas, 89.9°F inland and 92°F in desert regions.

Under Assembly Bill 2503, the CIF will revise its guidelines for desert regions, allowing practices and competitions at WBGT readings up to 93.5°F.

Supporters say the change better reflects athletes who live and train in California's desert communities.

Assemblyman Greg Wallis argued that the previous limits forced some practices into early morning or late evening hours, creating transportation, family and academic challenges.

“A one size fits all threshold does not work for my communities,” Wallis said.

A Higher Threshold — With Additional Safeguards

The change doesn't simply raise the temperature limit.

At higher WBGT readings, schools will be required to implement additional precautions, including hydration breaks every 15 minutes, reduced practice intensity and duration, onsite monitoring by Athletic Trainers, additional shade, enhanced acclimatization protocols and access to cold-water immersion.

Wallis described the legislation as a way to account for desert athletes' acclimatization while maintaining strong heat-safety protections.

But others are questioning whether allowing activity at higher WBGT readings introduces unnecessary risk.

One Athletic Trainer reacted directly to California Gov. Gavin Newsom on X:

“There is reason we follow the heat guidelines we do as athletic trainers. I pray you don't have any heat related illnesses or deaths as a result of this decision.”

A high school coach responding to coverage of the legislation raised a similar question: “Who stands to benefit from the creation of more risk?”

Where Should the Line Be?

That's what makes this worth discussing.

Heat policies across high school athletics have increasingly focused on WBGT monitoring, acclimatization, hydration, practice modification and rapid treatment of exertional heat illness. California's new approach raises an interesting question about how those policies should account for athletes who routinely train in dramatically different climates.

Should athletes acclimatized to desert conditions have different thresholds?

Are additional safeguards enough to offset activity at a higher WBGT?

And perhaps most importantly, how much weight should Athletic Trainers and sports medicine professionals have when those thresholds are established?

We're not going to answer those questions for you.

We'd rather hear from the Athletic Trainers working in these conditions every day. What do you think about California's change?