This year, most students participating in fall sports practiced in over 90-degree weather, bringing up issues such as health, exhaustion, and mental health. Sports are time-consuming extra-curricular activities and having to face high heat conditions makes the long hours intimidating. 

“Just the thought of having to play in 100 degree weather is definitely daunting. I look forward to playing tennis after school every day, but the heat oftentimes has me wishing that I were back in an air-conditioned classroom,” said Y-Duyen Nguyen (‘23), varsity tennis player. 

However, though there are inevitable degrees of heat that human bodies are not able to withstand, over 90-degree weather is not life-threatening for the average student. In some cases, it can also build motivation and satisfaction. 

“I think students pushing themselves is a good thing; even during the heat, or when it’s cold, or when it’s raining, competing is a good thing,” said Christopher Murphy, AV Football coach. 

Exercising, whether it is in the heat or not, also has many benefits for students. An article in 2017 by the Mayo Clinic highlights the benefits of exercising, including the fact that it eases depression, and anxiety, which is beneficial for students with high stress and workloads. 

“There’s a flood of endorphins, especially when the exercise is over, and the kids, they’re tired, but they feel good,” said Murphy. 

Though the heat is a daunting challenge, exercising eventually leads to many benefits for high school students, and it is a perfect way to relieve stress and other work-based anxieties. Additionally, it benefits students’ health and aids them in leading a healthy lifestyle. 

On top of that, exercising in a team adds peer pressure, and gives a sense of expectation to come to practice, train hard, and give it their best effort. 

“I think it builds camaraderie, I think it builds school spirit, for kids to be part of something bigger than themselves, and those are all the benefits of being on a team,” said Murphy.

Exercising is a benefit to all, and for high-school students, it helps them lead healthier lives, and gain a community through their team. “At the end of the day, we just suck it up, because there’s nothing more rewarding than to push through the heat and lead your team to victory,” said Nguyen.