08/03/2026
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has released a new resource: Preventing Exertional Heat Stroke in High School Football Linemen.
This important one-page guide was developed by an interdisciplinary NFHS task force of physicians, athletic trainers, state association executives, athletic directors, football coaches and strength and conditioning coaches. Thanks to Ciara Taylor, who represented NATA as the Association's liaison to the NFHS throughout this collaborative effort.
As athletic trainers, familiarize yourself with this resource and proactively share it with your football coaches, strength and conditioning professionals, athletic directors and other sports administrators. Working together, we can help ensure evidence-based heat safety practices are in place to better protect our student-athletes—especially those at greatest risk.
Preventing exertional heat stroke requires a team effort, and education is one of our most powerful tools.
More heat resources: https://www.nata.org/practice-patient-care/heat-illness
National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) recently released, Preventing Exertional Heat Stroke in High School Football Lineman. Nearly all EHS fatalities occur during sustained, high‑intensity conditioning sessions in the first week of practice, and 97% involve linemen—athletes who heat up faster, cool down more slowly.
This one-page document was written by a task force consisting of physicians, athletic trainers, state association executives, athletic directors, football coaches and strength and conditioning coaches