It’s the hottest week of the year in Columbus, and not just because it’s Rivalry Week.
As Columbus East and Columbus North prepare to square off in six of the eight fall sports over the next four days, extra precautions are being made to try to prevent heat-related illness. The heat index is forecast to be between 100-110 degrees through tonight and higher than 110 Wednesday and Thursday.
“We’ll work pretty closely with our medical staff, our athletic trainers and our team doctors to make sure it is safe. We want to do what is best for our student-athletes,” said East athletics director David Miller. “If it is safe to play, we’ll look at possibly moving things back, maybe shortening things or taking extra water breaks. There’s a handful of things that we can do.”
The Olympians are the hosts for five of the six crosstown clashes this week. They are scheduled host boys and girls cross-country at 5:30 p.m. today at Ceraland, girls soccer at 5:30 p.m. (JV) and 7:15 p.m. (varsity) Wednesday at BCSC Complex, boys soccer at 5:30 p.m. (JV) and 7:15 p.m. (varsity) Thursday at BCSC Complex and football at 7 p.m. Friday at East.
North is scheduled to host the boys tennis match at 4:30 p.m. today.
North athletics director Brian Lewis said the school takes the extreme heat seriously. “I’ve been working with our trainers for solutions. We’re just taking it day by day because one day can be hotter than the next. We’re communicating with our trainers daily and often to try to figure out what’s best for our kids.”
On Monday, East postponed its boys tennis match at Bedford North Lawrence to Sept. 5 and moved its home girls soccer game with Bloomington South back an hour. Hauser’s home boys tennis match against Milan was postponed to Aug. 30.
So far, none of today’s events involving Bartholomew County schools have been affected.
“We’re just going to take it day by day,” Miller said. “Hopefully, all of our decisions will be made by 1 on the day of.”
Miller is in his first year as East’s athletics director after taking over in July.
“It’s just another challenge,” Miller said. “As we all know, life and jobs present challenges. But it’s not, ‘I’ll make the decision,’ but I will consult with a lot of people. We have a lot of good people in support positions around us that will help in the decision-making process.”
