For some student-athletes in Southern California, practice times may look different.

“We need to make sure our athletes are accustomed to the temperatures in a particular region and are prepared to train and play safely in the region where they live,” said Mike West, CIF athletic director for the Southern Section.

The California Interscholastic Federation is implementing new rules this year to protect athletes from the extreme heat. The new guidelines state that schools must schedule outdoor practices during cooler times, such as early morning or late evening. They also require schools to postpone or cancel practices during extreme heat.

“I think it’s a great rule,” said former student and athlete Benjamin Vassrat. “You have to worry about overheating and passing out if you don’t drink enough fluids, but it’s still good to exercise in the heat.”

“It makes sense because it’s obviously about safety,” said student and athlete Ryaan Khuwaja. “We have training in the morning, so it’s not that bad, but of course it affects us.”

It’s all based on the wet bulb temperature, which takes into account factors like humidity, wind and sun angle. If the number gets too high for a particular area, the workout is canceled.

“Rules like this have now gone into effect across the country. The state of California wants to make sure that we take care of our athletes just like everyone else,” West said.

Since the exercises take place earlier in the morning or later in the evening, this has a significant impact on parents.

“It’s going to cause inconvenience for different teams and different schools in different areas. But it doesn’t mean it’s going to be this way forever,” West said. “We’re asking them to record their data and provide it to us, and the state is working with climatologists to refine our numbers.”

The new rules also include guidelines on AQI and the provision of emergency plans.