Mask mandate, scorching temps impacting how local student athletes train

Exercising in the summer heat is already tough, but having to wear a mask due to Pennsylvania’s mask mandate makes it even harder.

It’s a challenge Pine-Richland’s football program and other local sports teams are now facing during summer workouts.

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“At first, it was hard to wear the mask and still breathe with it whenever you are out of breath. But I got used to it after the first couple practices,” said Pine-Richland linebacker John Rottinghaus.

Because of the spread of COVID-19, a state mandate requires all players to wear masks. Every player was wearing a mask during drills at Pine-Richland Tuesday morning, even coaches and trainers.

However, they said it can be tricky because it was also extremely hot outside, so heat exhaustion and dehydration are also concerns.

During summer workouts, if a player needs a break and removes the mask, coach Eric Kasperowicz said it’s OK as long as the player is social distancing.

Coaches and other staff are trained to handle a heat-related illness, and they are also giving players plenty of water breaks.

Dr. Aaron Mares, a sports medicine doctor at UPMC, told Channel 11 every team -- whether it’s football, basketball, baseball or soccer -- should follow UPMC’s return-to-play guidelines.

“I would treat it like you would as other piece of equipment. If you have an athlete that identifies someone maybe having heat-related illness, you want to remove that equipment,” Mares said.

He said there are several concerning signs to look out for when a player experiences a heat-related illness, such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.

Any player experiencing those symptoms should be taken to a shaded area to cool down, remove equipment and use ice packs to bring their temperature down. In extreme cases, call 911.

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