OWASSO, Okla. — Marching band season is here, which overlaps with Oklahoma's hottest time of the year. The Pride of Owasso is in its first week of practice, which requires hours of daily work out on the astroturf.
“It's hot, it's sweaty, but we got water,” said the head drum major, Max Walker. “They give us breaks where we're off on the sideline drinking water all the time. We encourage hats, sunglasses, sunscreen. And we're all here together, so there's a sense of camaraderie.”
Brady Hollon, the director of band operations for the Pride of Owasso, intentionally schedules outdoor practices early in the morning and moves them inside after 10 AM as the heat builds. They even have their own weather station on-site so they can monitor the growing danger in real time.
“The most important thing we use is the wet bulb, and so we have guidelines from the OSSAA about when the wet bulb is within a certain range, there's a certain amount of time that we can be up and practicing, and there's a certain amount of time that the kids need to be down for water breaks,” said Hollon.
It is now standard for marching band directors to use the wet bulb globe temperature. This is a more inclusive measure of the heat than the heat index, which just accounts for temperature and humidity.
The wet bulb globe temperature also factors in the sun angle, the amount of cloud cover, and the wind speeds, which play a role in how hot your body feels.
Hollon says band leaders are constantly walking among the students looking for physical signs of heat stress.
They have been trained to respond immediately to anyone who may be suffering from hot weather.
“The first thing is either get them down on the ground or off the field,” said Hollon. “And then get them to shade and water. And we’ve got a water refilling station at the corner of the field, but we also have this building behind you, which is an athletic trainer building, so it's air conditioned. If we need to get a kid inside, we just go right in there.”
Beyond frequent hydration breaks, band leaders guide parents to have their kids eat appropriate breakfast foods, hydrate around the clock and wear light-colored and lightweight clothing.
“If they're not up and active and acclimated during June and July, then these first few days can be challenging for them, but they've mostly done pretty well this year,” emphasized Hollon.
As they continue to refine their show and the seasons change, the band has protocols to safely respond to thunderstorms, cold snaps, or whatever else Mother Nature throws their way.
To see what conditions lie ahead for the Tulsa area, click here.
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