EAST HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. --- A smoldering day in central Pennsylvania forced some school districts to readjust their after school activities.
That includes the Manheim Township Blue Streak football team.
“Player safety has to be our first and foremost responsibility,” said head coach Mark Evans.
Evans said afternoon temperatures at their field on-campus was about 115 degrees.
He said school officals had to make a late game decision.
The parent’s booster club foot the bill to practice at the Lanco Fieldhouse and the school administration put the players on a bus to get them to practice.
“It’s a team approach when stuff like this happens. It’s the twenty-fourth hour, too. It was just like scramble trying to find a place to go so we managed to get it done,” said Evans.
Running back and free safety Cameron Horst said the quick thinking by the parents booster club shows their team and family fundraising pays off.
“Our two main practice days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays and we get a lot of work done so if we miss one of those days, that’s a significant loss for us preparing for our football game on Friday,” said Horst.
He said the heat makes the frigid football in the month ahead more appealing.
“If you play in the cold, you can always warm up by playing harder. But if you’re playing hard in the heat, it’s impossible to cool down,” said Horst.
Manheim Township school officials say they will continue to monitor the temperature Wednesday.
Evans said they have contingency plans in place if the temperatures are not safe.