Heat Policy

Georgia Soccer follows U.S. Soccer Recognize to Recover Program guidelines for playing in heat.

These guidelines use a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) reading; for example, a WBGT reading of 92 degrees is somewhat comparable to a Heat Index reading of 104 to 105 degrees.

Alert Level	WBGT by Region	Event Conditions	Recommended Work to Rest Ratios (Actions and Breaks)
BLACK	> 92.0	Extreme Conditions	No outdoor training, delay training until cooler or cancel training
RED	90.1 - 91.9	High Risk for Heat-Related Illness	Maximum of 1 hour of training with 4 by 4-minute breaks within the hour; no additional conditioning allowed
ORANGE	87.1 - 90.0	Moderate Risk for Heat-Related Illness	Maximum of 2 hours of training with 4 by 4-minute breaks every hour, or a 10-minute break every 30 minutes of training
YELLOW	82.2 - 87.0	Less than Ideal Conditions	3 separate 4-minute breaks each hour, or a 12-minute break every 40 minutes of training
GREEN	< 82.1	Good Conditions	Normal activities; 3 separate 3-minute breaks each hour of training or a 10-minute break every 40 minutes

For practice in Georgia, when the WBGT is 92 degrees or above, training/practice should be suspended until it is cooler.

For games in Georgia, when the WBGT is 92 degrees or above, water breaks of 4 minutes should be provided for every 30 minutes of play. If the conditions are hotter, or if the game is on artificial turf, two water breaks per half may be necessary.

Why does cancellation apply to practices but not games?

There are enough built-in opportunities for players to get rest and hydration breaks during the course of a game; not everyone on the team is intensely-participating at one time. Officials and coaches are available to monitor 22 players or less in a game setting, while coaches may have 100 or more players to monitor during a practice setting. Club administrators and tournament officials are responsible for monitoring the WBGT and keeping the participating teams and game officials informed of the heat index. Coaches are encouraged to also monitor the conditions.

Who's in charge?

Typically, in the run-up to a game or practice, the club or organization makes the judgment call. Once players arrive and the game is underway, the officials on the field have the decision authority. This would be referees (who typically will consult with the coaches), or coaches if the event is a practice or other gathering.

Coaches