Summer sports and heat illness > Athletes need to take extra precautions to keep themselves safe from the elements Rebecca Peterson Staff Writer ee is a time for relaxation. It is a time to find a nice spot of shade, to have a cold drink, and to not move too fast or do anything unnecessarily strenuous. After all, we live in Canada—winter is our season, not summer. Already we've beaten all-time records for unseasonal heat this year, and our summer is projected to be one of the hottest in history. Anyone with half a brain would build an underground bunker to hide out in until September 21st at this rate. However, for those who plan to remain physically active this summer, all is not yet lost. There are ways of preventing a serious case of heat exhaustion, which can result in an even more serious case of death. Especially for those playing team sports, it’s important to watch out for yourself and the people around you to keep everyone safe in the coming hot months. Prevention: heat acclimation Whether you train alone or ona team, it’s important to allow your body time to become accustomed to the change in the weather. Exercise routines and sports practices should be kept short and simple once the weather turns, reintroducing higher intensity training gradually. During this time period, watch carefully for signs of heat illness, and be sure to take frequent breaks. Hydrate frequently It’s fairly obvious that if you don’t want to collapse from dehydration, you need to stay hydrated. There’s no need to overdo it, of course, but if you have a headache, feel hungry, or feel nauseous, water should become your first priority as these are all signs of dehydration. Pay attention to your body, and make sure you are giving it what it needs. Rest after hot days According to several studies, many heat-stroke related hospitalizations and fatalities occur the second day of intense activity in hot weather. If you’ve had a hot day of physical activity, especially if you've shown any signs of heat exhaustion, take a day or two to rest before going back out there. You could be saving your life. Dress for the weather Again, it should be obvious, but heavy, padded clothing is not exactly ideal for hot days. Keep your clothing light, loose, and breathable. If you can, cover your head with a hat to prevent burns and overheating. Signs of heat illness: heat exhaustion Heat exhaustion is the first stage of a serious heat illness. Any of the following symptoms are a warning sign for athletes to stop what they’re doing and take precautions to keep their condition from worsening: muscle cramps heavy sweating, clammy skin nausea dizziness headache fast pulse Heat stroke Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency. If you or any of your fellow athletes start showing the following signs, call 911 immediately: body temperature of over 103°F or 39.4°C hot, red, and dry skin quick pounding pulse fast, shallow breathing disorientation hallucinations seizures lack of consciousness Treatment: heat exhaustion Cooling down is your first priority. Move out of the sun, lie down, and find ice or cold water. Laying cold cloths over your wrists and other pulse points will help cool your core body temperature faster, though ideally if you have the resources, you'll want to put cold cloths on as much as yourself as possible. Rehydrate slowly, and make sure someone is keeping an eye on you until you feel better. Heat stroke Don’t take any risks, here—if you even suspect you or someone else might have heat stroke, call 911 ASAP. In the meantime, like before, cooling the person is your top priority. Move them out of the sun and use whatever you have at your disposal—cold water, ice—to start getting their body temperature down. Do not give the victim fluids, because depending on the severity of their condition, they may either choke on the fluids, or will have to be carefully rehydrated by trained EMTs. Look out for one another, stay safe, and maybe consider building that underground bunker to survive the summer. It’s what I’m probably going to do. Illustration by Ed Appleby Women’s soccer recruitment class of 2016 > The future is exciting Davie Wong Sports Editor I hard to believe that it’s nearly been a year since the Royal’s women soccer team made history by winning the Provincial Championship and going to Nationals. A lot has changed since then, with players leaving, and new players joining. With the soccer season drawing ever closer, teams are finishing up their recruitmenting and moving into their training sessions. This season was particularly hectic due to a few circumstances. The first item on the list to address is the players leaving. Star strikers Marni McMillan and Danae Harding have announced their departure from the team. Key midfielder Nicolle Fraser finished her fifth and final year of eligibility and will be moving onas well. In the back, the core of Kelsey Acaster, Carli Tingstad, and Courtney Sine, along with goalkeeper Rebecca Mainardi have departed from the team. While the departure of a few of those players had been expected, the defensive exodus has left the Royals roster with a big hole. Mikayla Hamilton is expected to fill in where Danae Harding left off, and Sam Kell and Andrea Perrota make excellent replacements in the midfield. However, the backline situation is still a question. Michelle Wessa and Sarah Strelau have proven capable defenders, but their position lacks depth. In terms of goaltenders, the team has none left. Fortunately, the recruitment class reflects just what the team needs. In the offseason, head coach Chris Laxton has signed ona plethora of players to help his fill replenish his roster. The majority of the newcomers are defenders and goalkeepers and the team also signed a single forward. Laxton spoke to the expectations of some of the players for the first season: “There are three or four of the recruits that are coming in as redshirts. The rest will be on the initial 25. We expect several of them to be moving from the full 18 to the starting u pretty quick.’ Laxton also explained the defensively focused recruitment season as a necessary move for the team. “We've balanced the team with the recruits this year. Defender was an area that we targeted. Between Courtney, Carli, and Kelsey, those were the three centrebacks. That’s a position that we've had a lot of success with, and that’s a position we want to strengthen this year and maintain our defensive record.” With regard to signing three goalkeepers, Laxton believes it is a necessary move to ensure the depth and future of the squad. It isa lesson he has learned through experience. “The last couple of years we've got into injuries, and some personal decision that have left us sort of stranded. I want to make sure that we're covered not only this year but we're covered for several years to come. The goalkeeper position is an open position. We like it that way. It'll bring healthy competition. We'll see how things go as they'll get their opportunities in preseason, and we'll see who's deserving of first team, backup, and third- string”. The third of the goaltenders is a two-year veteran of the PACWEST. Chantalle Bracken is a goalkeeper from the former Kwantlen Eagles. She, alongside teammate Taylor Wettig, will be joining the Royals, as Kwantlen has shut down their athletic program. “The acquisition of Taylor and Chantalle from the Kwantlen Eagles gave us an opportunity to acquire more veteran PACWEST experienced players in our group as we transition to the new era. Taylor is already showing signs of her ability to make an impact on our group. Chantelle bring experience toa very young and new goalkeeper group. We hope she pushes for a starter position, but at the very least, she'll be able to help the other goalkeepers prepare for PACWEST level of competition,” commented Laxton. When asked if his team could recapture their golden provincial finish, Chris exuded confidence in his reply, with a hint of caution. “Absolutely, there’s a chance for us to recapture the championships. Fortune swings in the playoffs, and the top two teams go to Nationals this year. That doesn’t mean that we're targeting fourth, and that doesn’t mean that we’re targeting the second place berth to Nationals. With the recruits we have coming in and the players that we have left, I think we can still do well. But it’s going to take an effort, and going to take some time.” With the Eagles shutting down their athletics program, there are fewer teams for PACWEST teams to play. This means that there are now only 12 regular season games. That’s even less room for mistakes than before. One loss means so much more now. But on the bright side, a single win means all the more as well.