Softball Tips: Surviving Hot Summer Days on the Field

Guest post by Ken Krause, Life in the Fastpitch Lane blog

What a gorgeous day today was where I live. A high of almost 90, sunny all day long, with just enough breeze to make it tolerable to work outside.

Just the kind of day that can sneak up on you if you're not careful. With the summer tournament season getting into full swing I thought it might be a good time to go over a few reminders for dealing with a day in sun, heat and humidity. And not just for players, but for coaches and parents too.

We say it all the time, but the first three rules of dealing with an all-day tournament are hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Even if you don't feel like drinking water, drink water anyway. Lots of it.

Water is good. It's most of what your body is made of. When you get hot your body releases water (sweats) to try to cool your body. Nature's way is that the sweat sits on your skin, and any passing breeze against it helps cool your body.

The thing is, as you sweat your body is losing water. If you don't replace the water your core temperature starts to rise, you begin to feel sick, get dizzy and ultimately can end up with heat stroke, which will put you in the hospital. Drinking water is much easier on you.

Sports drinks can help replace the electrolytes you lose through sweating, but you don't want to drink them exclusively. You still need water. It does a body good.

Sunscreen is another essential. (I feel a bit hypocritical writing that sentence given that I am currently sitting here with a nice, hot burn because I didn't bother today.)

But don't follow my example. Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 will protect you from prolonged exposure to the sun, such as you get with three games of pool play and a bracket game in the same day.

"Sports" sunscreen is less likely to wear off immediately, but remember it doesn't last forever. Assuming you have a game between your games, that's a good time to re-load on sunscreen.

Much as you might like to work on your tan, seek shade between games, especially when it's hot. A pop-up tent is a good place to be to get out of the sun too. If your team doesn't have one perhaps a few parents can go in on one. If you are hair-challenged, consider wearing a hat at least part of the day. Nothing like a fresh burn on the top of your head Monday morning when you're getting ready for work.

One other thing to keep in mind is that sunscreen over 30 SPF is pretty much a waste of money. The extra protection you get versus the money you pay isn't worth it.

Food is another challenge. Many tournaments tell you no outside food is allowed, so you're often stuck with whatever the concession stand is serving. Which is usually greasy burgers, hot dogs, brats and other such delights.

It might take a bit of extra effort, but you can still put some sandwiches in a cooler that you keep in your trunk. Pretzels make a particularly good snack because they're low-calorie and the salt helps with water retention. Again, you can overdo it so be sure to eat those pretzels in moderation.

Although most of this discussion has assumed a nice, hot day, remember that the weather can often turn quickly, especially in certain parts of the country. Even if you're expecting a hot, sunny day it doesn't hurt to keep a hoodie and some rainwear handy in the car. No one likes playing when they're cold and wet, so a little forethought can save you a lot of annoyance later.

Enjoy the sun and the summer, but remember to be careful too. It may take a little extra effort but you'll be glad you did in the long run.

Anyway, that's the way I see it.