UIL issues new heat safety guidelines for high school athletes, marching bands

Soon, Texas high school athletes and marching bands will see stricter heat-safety standards in place.

The 2026-2027 heat stress and athletic participation required plan was recently shared by the University Interscholastic League (UIL), and starting Aug. 1, all UIL member schools will be required to use the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) to monitor environmental conditions during outdoor physical activities.

The new scale is meant to measure stress on the human body in heat while exercising.

This means that districts will now have to give athletes more breaks in high temperatures and schedule mandated hydration breaks. They’ll even be required to cancel outdoor workouts altogether above certain temperatures.

The latest move comes after several heat-related tragedies for Texas athletes, including one last summer, when a 17-year-old Cypress Springs High School student ended up in a coma from an apparent heat stroke during a private training session.

For more on the regulations, visit UIL’s website.