Look Out for Your Teammates: A Heat Safety Guide for Athletes

This one is for athletes. Coaches, athletic trainers and parents all have a job when it’s hot, but you are the one standing next to your teammate on the last sprint. You will often notice something is wrong before any adult does.

Exertional heat stroke is 100% survivable when the athlete is cooled fast, on site. That only happens if someone speaks up early. This page covers what to watch for, what to say and what to do.

Why It Has to Be You

• You’re closer. A coach is watching the whole drill. You’re watching the person next to you.
• You know what normal looks like. You know how your teammate usually talks, runs and jokes. You’ll notice when that changes.
• Athletes hide it. Nobody wants to look weak or lose a spot. A lot of athletes push through when they feel off. That’s exactly when heat stroke gets missed.

What to Watch For in a Teammate

The sign that matters most is a change in how the brain is working. Speak up if a teammate:

• seems confused, gives strange answers or doesn’t know where they are
• stumbles, loses balance or can’t run a drill they know well
• acts out of character, gets irritable or seems “out of it”
• collapses or has a seizure

They may still be sweating. Sweat does not rule out heat stroke. If something about them has changed, treat it as serious. For the full list, read exertional heat stroke symptoms every coach and parent should know.

What to Watch For in Yourself

It’s hard to judge your own thinking when you’re overheating. That’s why the buddy system matters. Still, tell a coach or athletic trainer right away if you feel dizzy, confused, sick to your stomach, unusually weak, or like you can’t keep going. Saying “I’m not right” is not quitting.

What to Say

You don’t need the right words. Short and loud is fine:

• “Coach, something’s wrong with [name].”
• “[Name] isn’t making sense. Can you look at them?”
• “I don’t feel right. I need to stop.”

If the adult brushes it off and your teammate still seems off, say it again, or find another adult. Speaking up and being wrong is always better than staying quiet.

If a Teammate Goes Down

1. Yell for help right away. Get a coach or athletic trainer there.
2. Call 911 and start cooling at the same time. One person calls. Another starts cooling. Don’t wait for one to finish before starting the other.
3. Cool first, transport second. Cooling should start within 10 minutes. The goal is to bring body temperature down to about 102°F within 30 minutes.
4. Help get them to the tub if the adults ask. Cold-water immersion with ice agitation, keeping the ice and water moving around them, is how it’s done.
5. Remove anything you can quickly but don’t delay cooling because of gear removal.
6. Go meet the ambulance if you’re asked, and lead the crew straight to your teammate.

Why the rush: at 104°F, the body loses its ability to regulate its own temperature. Cold towels and ice packs are not enough. Read why cold towels don’t treat heat stroke and cool first, transport second.

Habits That Help Every Day

• Pair up with a buddy on hot days and check on each other at every break.
• Drink water before, during and after practice.
• Tell your coach if you’ve been sick, didn’t sleep, or haven’t eaten or had much to drink that day.
• Go easier if you’re new, coming back from time off or not used to the heat yet. See why the first two weeks matter.
• Know where the cooling tub is before practice starts. If you don’t see one, ask.

Questions to Ask Your Team

• Do we have a cold-water immersion tub at practice and at games?
• Who calls 911 if someone goes down?
• Do we have an emergency action plan, and can the team see it?

If the answer is no, bring it to your coach or athletic director. Programs can build a plan with our free emergency action plan builder. Parents can use our list of heat safety questions parents should ask.

Quick answers

Why should athletes watch their teammates for heat stroke?

You're closer than the coach and you know what normal looks like for your teammate. Athletes often hide it, so you may notice something is wrong before any adult does.

What signs of heat stroke should I watch for in a teammate?

A change in how the brain is working: confusion, strange answers, stumbling or losing balance, acting out of character, collapse or a seizure. They may still be sweating. Sweat does not rule out heat stroke.

What should I say if a teammate seems off?

Short and loud is fine: "Coach, something's wrong with [name]." If the adult brushes it off and your teammate still seems off, say it again or find another adult. Speaking up and being wrong is always better than staying quiet.

What happens if a teammate goes down?

Yell for help right away. Call 911 and start cooling at the same time. Cool first, transport second: start cooling within 10 minutes and aim for about 102°F within 30 minutes, using cold-water immersion with ice agitation. Help get them to the tub if the adults ask.

Bring Your Team Into National Stay Cool Day

National Stay Cool Day is April 8, 2027. Ask your coach or school to take part. Here’s how schools and programs can sign up.