Hot Weather at JHS for Arky Game

[cptau 169]

Probably due to the SEC network, what would have been a nice evening game at JHS for the first game of the season got moved to 3 PM and turned into a extremely hot and humid game time for the Arky game.

The result was that many fans had major problems with heat. A woman in her 20s collapsed in the stands in front of me at kickoff. Three guys quickly carried her out. My wife left a few minutes later to get in the shade. I went back and found that the first aid stations were overwhelmed with people overcome with the heat. People that normally would have been inside getting more attention were sitting outside in chairs, triage. It was scary.

A game with temperatures like that may not happen that often at JHS, but a few changes are needed. More seating around the perimeter under the stands is needed. Metal benches attached to the metal bar fence so people can sit and cool off. More cooling stations are needed. Fans also need to be warned to not stay in the sun if they have health problems or are not use to being outside in the heat and direct sun.

[Weegle777 78]

I swore that after I attended the USC vs. Auburn game in 2003, that I would NEVER go to another opener again. Most brutal heat I have ever experienced.

[ClaytonAU 4,606]

Some friends and I went to the student center and watched a little portion of the game there. It was so incredibly hot in JHS Saturday and the AC/HD TV in the student center was a blessing.

[CJBas 4]

Probably due to the SEC network, what would have been a nice evening game at JHS for the first game of the season got moved to 3 PM and turned into a extremely hot and humid game time for the Arky game.

The result was that many fans had major problems with heat. A woman in her 20s collapsed in the stands in front of me at kickoff. Three guys quickly carried her out. My wife left a few minutes later to get in the shade. I went back and found that the first aid stations were overwhelmed with people overcome with the heat. People that normally would have been inside getting more attention were sitting outside in chairs, triage. It was scary.

A game with temperatures like that may not happen that often at JHS, but a few changes are needed. More seating around the perimeter under the stands is needed. Metal benches attached to the metal bar fence so people can sit and cool off. More cooling stations are needed. Fans also need to be warned to not stay in the sun if they have health problems or are not use to being outside in the heat and direct sun.

I was afraid that would happen. In fact I was afraid all summer that it would happen. Certainly the people in charge of scheduling at the SEC net knew it would also. They should have scheduled Auburn's game for the last game, not the mid afternoon game. And I thought Jacobs should have insisted on that.

As it turned out, a 6:30 kickoff would have probably been delayed also due to lightening, and it would have started in pouring rain. but that would have been preferable to blazing heat.

[aubaseball 2,584]

I know it was hot, but you can't be serious with telling people that it's hot. Whatever happened to common sense?

[EagleFlight34 101]

It is hot in Alabama in August. People always seem surprised by that.

If you are not used to the heat, you might should think twice about attending an outdoor sporting event in Alabama where it is always hot in August.

Of course, I've dealt with travel softball tournaments all summer. Saturday's weather wasn't nearly as bad as some of those all day and half the night tournaments in late July/early August in Alabama where it is always hot that time of year.

[caleb1633 1,418]

That was the most miserable I've ever felt in JHS. The rain beforehand made the heat that much more unbearable, plus the discomfort of getting rained on period.

[Taiyushka 0]

It was muggy, but does anyone remember the 2011 Miss St game? Second week of the season, 11 am kickoff. Worst game in terms of heat that I've ever been to. As others have said, it's always going to be hot in Alabama during August and early September. There's not that much else that Auburn can do to help people that they aren't already doing.

[cptau 169]

I know it was hot, but you can't be serious with telling people that it's hot. Whatever happened to common sense?

People sit in their air conditioned houses and cars all summer and they never think about it. Older folks, people with health problems, someone that is slightly dehydrated can be in trouble fast.

[Weegle777 78]

Just don't go. I'm a big Auburn fan, but not big enough to sit in sweltering heat and compromise my health. That's just stupid.

[cptau 169]

Just don't go. I'm a big Auburn fan, but not big enough to sit in sweltering heat and compromise my health. That's just stupid.

Yep, they need to stay home if they have any problems with heat.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Probably due to the SEC network, what would have been a nice evening game at JHS for the first game of the season got moved to 3 PM and turned into a extremely hot and humid game time for the Arky game.

The result was that many fans had major problems with heat. A woman in her 20s collapsed in the stands in front of me at kickoff. Three guys quickly carried her out. My wife left a few minutes later to get in the shade. I went back and found that the first aid stations were overwhelmed with people overcome with the heat. People that normally would have been inside getting more attention were sitting outside in chairs, triage. It was scary.

A game with temperatures like that may not happen that often at JHS, but a few changes are needed. More seating around the perimeter under the stands is needed. Metal benches attached to the metal bar fence so people can sit and cool off. More cooling stations are needed. Fans also need to be warned to not stay in the sun if they have health problems or are not use to being outside in the heat and direct sun.

Seemed like people were fainting left and right. I noticed a lady maybe 40-50 years old in the North Endzone get paramedic treatment. She was sitting about 3-5 rows from the very top of the endzone. I was baking like a rotisserie chicken. They ran out of free water in my area by halftime.

It's been relatively mild summer by the south standards but the past couple weeks have been scorching.

[Newman5th 0]

I agree that Aug/early Sept games need to be night, period. Empty seats all around as people NEEDED shade. My husband and I took turns taking kids into shade. I wouldn't say the crowd was ever "taken out of the game" but not as raucous as it can be for an SEC game. It was just too hot, like you had to choose whether you'd use your energy for yelling OR the shaker.

[around4ever 4,139]

The heat was a major factor. I saw many people being carried out by medical personnel and by friends or family. It was as bad as I have ever seen at JHS or anywhere else for that matter. I'm going to throw this out there for discussion purposes. Maybe all of the cases were not dehydration, per se. The sodium to water ratio is becoming more and more of a factor because people are trying to cut salt and sodium out of their diets more and more. I have heard more cases of high school and college athletes collapsing during practices this summer and the determination is they don't have enough sodium in their body and too much water. There was a high school player who died Friday in Jackson MS because of a sodium imbalance. IMO, we don't need to limit or completely cut out salt and sodium during the summer months in the south. Especially if you are going to be outside for extended periods of time.

[gulftiger66 166]

I'm just glad that DirecTv picked up the SEC Channel.

[theduke 5]

These days aren't referred to as "dog days" because of the comfortable surroundings. I agree, common sense most be applied. If the heat bothers you to the point that your health is affected, stay away or chose cooler conditions. It's an outside game, played in the heat. The players were in worse conditions. If you aren't use to it, stay out of it, common sense. I hated it, it's not comfortable but it is bareable to me, so I accept it and I'm 65. I've worked in it all my life but can tell it is starting to take a toll on me and one day I will have to stay out of it too. But folks, the players have it worse and they should be our main concern but again, they are acclimated better than we are. There is better clothing to wear than what I saw most folks dressed in, I might add. Again, we are suppose to be smarter and take care of ourselves. Too often we just don't stop to think. I did enjoy the game and while I question my sanity at times, my record for never leaving a game early has remained intact. I've sat thru other storms and tornados (Which is probably why they have a rule now of suspending play, too many crazy folks). War Eagle forever and here's to cooler games in the future.

[NoALtiger 3,849]

Opening game at 3:00? No way I even considered going this year. Toting my youngins around plus the heat woulda been bonkers crazy. Love me some night games at JHS.

[Maverick.AU 13,279]

We had 3 people alone in our section fall out and when we went to check on somebody who had gotten taken to the first aid unit it was smack full with people sitting outside against the wall waiting to be treated. Been going to games for over 10 years (Now as a student) and the only game that compares to this one is the season opener against USC in the 2003.

[WarEagle1983 2,185]

Opening game at 3:00? No way I even considered going this year. Toting my youngins around plus the heat woulda been bonkers crazy. Love me some night games at JHS.

+1. 2 of my kids wanted to go but no way would i have let them go. Not only for health reasons but it would just have been miserable for me and my wallet trying to keep them cooled down and with them most likely being restless b/c of the heat. I made sure to hydrate the day before and it was still tough to sit through the 1st half heat at certain moments. Sometimes a person's body just can't handle the drastic change of temperatures in a short amount of time. Only thing that frustrated me was the fact that the free water stations were out of water by halftime.

[TexasTiger 12,811]

When I was in college we had no lights -- kickoff was generally at 1:30pm.

[Sully to Beasley 643]

This is my 45th season of attending games at JHS. Saturday was one of the hotter games I can remember, but not the worst. I know the day is coming when I will be too doggone old to attend early season summer games. Fortunately, I survived Saturday without a hitch.

[AUwent 3,747]

Remember the '10 Clemson game? That was the worst heat I've ever endured in JHS…and it was at night.

[3rdgeneration 6,469]

We had a guy pass out behind us. It was hot in the upper deck. We were sure to drink plenty of water and keep a rag with water on our necks. The worst part to me was how thick the air was and how hard it was to breathe. I am glad that the rain made an appearance!

[Velvet Beavis 15]

What was the weather like at 6:00PM and thereafter? I know there was lightning, but not sure what time that hit?

[cooltigger21 0]

I swore that after I attended the USC vs. Auburn game in 2003, that I would NEVER go to another opener again. Most brutal heat I have ever experienced.

I was at that game and don't remember the heat bothering me that much really. I can tell a difference now in how I react to the heat vs just two years ago. Back then it didn't really tend to bother me at all. dang i'm getting old.