Dear Parents,
Beginning this school year, the UIL has changed its heat stress and athletic participation protocols from recommended guidelines to mandatory requirements. These new requirements per the UIL website state, “Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, the use of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) to monitor environmental conditions and guide activity modifications is no longer a recommendation, but a required standard for all UIL outdoor athletic and marching band activities.” Additional information may be found on the UIL website by clicking on the following link: uiltexas.org/health/info/2026-2027-heat-stress-athletic-participation-required-plan.
At SHISD we have been following the recommended guidelines since they were made available in 2023. Each year we are losing more and more practice time due to temperatures being in the no practice (“Black Zone”) or the limited practice (“Red Zone”) zones during the athletic period and/or after school. In order to create the safest and most consistent practice schedules, we will be implementing morning practice times this fall for our outdoor sports. Football, Tennis, and Cross Country coaches will be closely monitoring the Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures. We will plan and communicate practice schedules with the safety and success of our athletes as the top priority.
To start the school year, Junior High Football practices will be in the mornings before school. High School Football will also include a Wednesday morning practice. Coaches will share detailed football practice schedules with parents and athletes soon. Cross Country will continue to schedule morning practices as they have in the past. Tennis will communicate their schedule with parents and athletes as soon as possible.
SHISD coaches will continue to communicate through the SportsYou App. Official practice schedules and times will be communicated prior to the first day of school. We will reevaluate the temperature trends as we move further into the fall athletic season. Coaches will communicate well in advance if we anticipate moving any practices back to an after school schedule.
Thank you for your ongoing support and patience as we navigate these UIL requirements and continue to keep student-athletes’ safety as our top priority.
If you have any questions, please contact the SHISD Athletic Department.