When One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Regional Adaptation of WBGT Monitoring for School Athletics
Abstract:
Despite growing awareness of exertional heat illness (EHI) risks, state-level adoption and implementation of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) policies for high school athletics remain inconsistent. While organizations like CIF (California), GHSAA (Georgia), and VHSL (Virginia) have rolled out mandates, variations in climate, resource availability, and enforcement have led to differing outcomes. This review explores the clinical and operational impact of WBGT policy adoption, highlights disparities in execution—especially in geographies with significant microclimate variability—and identifies best practices to guide future state-level implementations.
Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate policies and procedures to determine the effectiveness of heat safety interventions.
- Apply evidence-based guidelines to develop or modify environmental monitoring protocols for secondary school settings.
- Analyze the practicality and feasibility of implementing heat safety protocols in diverse environmental and institutional settings.
Level:
Essential
Domain(s):
Domain 1: Risk Reduction Wellness and Health Literacy
Domain 2: Assessment Evaluation and Diagnosis
Orthopedic Domain(s):
N/A
Keywords:
wbgt; ehi; activity guidelines
CEUs:
1.0 Category A
A Statement of Credit reflecting your CEUs will be issued immediately upon the successful completion of all course components.
Course Expiration:
All sessions of the NATA 77th Symposia On-Demand must be completed by December 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
For full details, refer to the expiration policy on our FAQ page.
Andrew Grundstein, PhD
Andrew Grundstein is a professor of Geography and a member of the Atmospheric Sciences program at the University of Georgia. His research focuses on interactions between climate and human health, with particular emphasis on heat exposure and its impacts on athletes, workers, and children.
Dr. Grundstein has published over 90 peer-reviewed articles in leading scientific journals, and his work has been supported by grants from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Biometeorology and on science and medical advisory boards, including the Korey Stringer Institute and the National Heat Safety Coalition, and has previously served on the International Olympic Committee Adverse Weather Impact Expert Working Group for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the Medical Advisory Committee for the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Outdoor Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Robert Huggins, PhD, LAT, ATC
Dr. Robert Huggins is currently the Chief Research Officer and President of Occupational Safety and Athlete Performance at the Korey Stringer Institute. He is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Huggins oversees the operations of the Athlete Performance Testing division of KSI and the Heat Safety Performance Coalition (HSPC) which strives to protect occupational laborers and workers from the dangerous effects of acute and chronic heat exposure. Dr. Huggins is the director of the Athletic Training Locations and Services (ATLAS) Project which keeps track of the level of AT services in over 21,000 secondary schools in the U.S. since 2015.
Dr. Huggins focuses on two major areas of research, 1) athlete/laborer health, safety, and performance and 2) the access and provision of Athletic Training Services to secondary schools. In athletes and laborers, his research interests include the heat illness prevention, thermoregulation, hydration, and monitoring training load/workload and physiological biomarkers for the prevention of injury/illness. Related to AT services, his research focuses on improving the delivery of AT services at the secondary school level, emergency best practices in youth athletes, and the economic impact of medical services rendered by ATs. Dr. Huggins has been a lead or co-author on ~70 publications) and has delivered ~80 professional presentations throughout the US.
Dr. Huggins has provided heat safety policy and risk mitigation services/expertise to the airline, food, construction, manufacturing, and postal delivery service industries. He has provided expert advice and services to the US Soccer Women’s National Team, Olympians in several sports, professional endurance athletes, and football players. Dr. Huggins also has a great deal of experience at mass medical events such as the Falmouth Road Race, Boston Marathon, and Marine Corps Marathon where he has treated more than 80 cases of exertional heat stroke. Dr. Huggins is a licensed Athletic Trainer since 2007 and received his bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Connecticut in 2007, his master’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Virginia in 2008, his doctoral degree from the University of Connecticut in 2014 and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at UConn from 2014-2017.
