Student-athletes at Clear Creek, Clear Falls, and Clear Springs high schools will spend much of August practicing in shorter windows, with more water breaks, and sometimes not outdoors at all.
The University Interscholastic League's mandatory Wet Bulb Globe Temperature rules took effect Saturday, Aug. 1, requiring every Texas high school to measure heat stress before outdoor practices and modify or cancel workouts when readings climb too high. The National Weather Service's Houston/Galveston office reports August WBGT averages for the area land between 85 and 95°F, meaning most early-season practices in League City will trigger some level of restriction.
"The bottom line is, this is the national gold standard for keeping kids safe when working in the heat, and that's our ultimate goal," UIL Executive Director Jamey Harrison told Houston Public Media on Monday, Aug. 3. "That will require some schools to get out of their comfort zone and do things a little differently than they have in the past, but it is not an insurmountable task by any stretch."
What the thresholds mean
Under the UIL's required plan for the 2026–2027 school year, schools must measure WBGT 15 minutes before practice and repeat every 30 minutes. The tiers for the Houston/League City area (Class 3) break down like this:
- Below 82°F: Full three-hour practice, no modifications.
- 82–87°F: At least three four-minute breaks per hour; cold-water immersion tub or other rapid-cooling equipment must be on site.
- Above 87°F: Practice limited to two hours, four rest breaks per hour, football players in shorts only.
- Above 90°F: One hour max, no pads or helmets, no conditioning drills.
- 92.1°F or higher: Practice moves indoors or is canceled.
WBGT differs from the familiar heat index. NWS meteorologist Jimmy Fowler noted that heat index factors only air temperature and humidity and assumes the person is in shade. WBGT also accounts for wind speed, cloud cover, and sun angle, making it a more complete measure of heat stress for athletes training in direct sunlight.
How often will restrictions hit?
Often. Perry Weather tracked WBGT readings for the Houston region during August 2025 and found eight days hit the threshold for no outdoor workouts, 13 days required a one-hour practice limit, and 23 days fell in the range for a maximum two-hour practice. The most concerning readings were concentrated between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Many Houston-area schools have already shifted early-season practices to 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. to avoid that peak window, according to KPRC 2.
Coaches push back
Not everyone is on board. Nearly 80% of Houston-area high school football coaches surveyed by the Houston Chronicle said the WBGT standards are too restrictive.
Harrison countered that the rules don't ban practice. "We're largely talking about a 2- to 3-hour window on some days," he said. "Just don't put your kids out there in full pads with no restrictions from 4-5:30, 6 p.m."
The rules apply only to practices, not games or meets. Harrison noted that 100% of heat-related deaths in high school sports over many years have occurred during practice, not competition.
Why now
The UIL board voted in June 2026 to make WBGT monitoring mandatory after three years of recommending it. The decision followed a Houston-area high school football player suffering heatstroke during a private training session in summer 2025 and a Dallas-area player dying after a medical emergency during an August 2025 practice. Texas joins at least 17 other states that now require WBGT-guided practices.
What parents can do
Schools that don't own a WBGT meter can use the UIL's recommended online forecasting tool at convergence.unc.edu/tools/wbgt/ to source readings. Parents can check the same site to see whether conditions should trigger practice restrictions on a given day.
No Clear Creek ISD official has commented publicly on how the district's athletic programs are implementing the new rules.
