With high schools beginning football practice at the height of summer heat, school officials and athletic trainers have renewed their call for careful consideration of the dangers of pushing young athletes too hard under the sun.

There's a danger of dehydration and heat stroke - among other things - for those athletes who spend their mornings and afternoons working hard outdoors in 90-degree weather.

"I think we've done a better job of educating coaches, parents and athletes," says Gary Lewis, president of the Louisiana Athletic Trainers Association. "But have we stomped out the problem? No. You can't let your guard down."

To prepare their teams for grueling summer practices, most football coaches in Louisiana have organized off-season workout programs for their players. Those programs are usually followed by heat-acclimation drills, which have begun across the state. The workouts feature conditioning, agility and flexibility drills - many under the sun - and some weightlifting.

"We would have much great problem if we stopped in May and told them to come back in August," says Mitch Downey, a coach at Benton High School in Benton, La. "But since we don't ever let it get to the point where we're not in contact with them weekly, it's not an issue."

The National Federation of High Schools - which reports that 19 football players nationwide died from heat stroke-related incidents from 1995 to 2005 - recommends starting with light workouts in heat with adequate hydration. Over the next seven to 10 days, the NFHS advises to slowly increase the heat tolerance of the players.

Even when summer practices kick off at schools, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association has placed restrictions on the kind of workouts the teams can hold to prevent injuries, or even worse, fatalities from the effects of practicing in the heat.

Teams must wear shorts for at least the first three days of practice. Only after the three-day conditioning period can teams hold practices in full pads.

"The kids' safety has to be paramount in everything that we do," LHSAA Commissioner Tommy Henry says. "Now I measure success on how many kids make it safely through the season."

In addition to those LHSAA guidelines, Lewis recommends each school hire a certified trainer to monitor the players, encourage the players to eat balanced meals and stay hydrated and to avoid holding practices during the hottest part of the day.

"Practicing at the right time is important," Lewis says. "Unfortunately, that's a tough situation in Louisiana. But you should try to practice when it's a bit cooler."

And while most people tend to think of August as the dawn of football season, Lewis notes kids in other extracurricular activities like volleyball, cross country, cheer leading and band are also at risk of heat-related injuries.

He encouraged schools to monitor students in those pursuits as vigorously as they do those in football.

"We should look at all sports and all activities," Lewis says. "When we think of August, we think of football ... but we can't be that narrow. We have to keep everyone educated."

TIPS FOR PREVENTING HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS:

Heat-related illnesses are caused when an individual is subjected to extreme temperatures and humidity and is unable to cool down. Here are some tips to keep in mind as football practice starts across the country this summer:

• Schedule and enforce frequent water breaks.

• Allow days for adjusting to warmer climates.

• Schedule practice during cooler times of the day.

• Players should be weighed before and after a competition or workout.

• Drink 16 ounces of appropriate fluid for every pound of weight lost after activity.

• Players should not take salt tablets, but rather salt their food liberally when playing in hot, humid weather.

Source: The USA Football Health and Safety Center.