'Super important.' Bridgeport football program takes extra precautions to keep players safe during hot weather
Co-founder Ruben Goodwin says coaches are on high alert and keeping a watchful eye out for signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion
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The game of football is all about perseverance - which is on full display on fields and at summer camps throughout the state this week.
The heat and rising temperatures are forcing those at the Wakeman Boys and Girls Club Cowboy Football program to take extra precautions at their outdoor workouts.
"On a field in the middle of a heat wave is tough for the kids," co-founder Ruben Goodwin says. "You see how many water coolers we have here today, and we're filling them all up with extra ice to make sure we can cool the guys down, plus we have breaks to make sure everybody stays hydrated."
Goodwin says coaches are on high alert, keeping a watchful eye out for the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
"Looking into a kid's eyes and understanding where they're at, watching the sweat," Goodwin says, "Taking those breaks that are needed throughout a two-hour practice... super important to make sure everybody's safe."
Former NFL linebacker and Bridgeport native Kevin Pierre-Louis is giving back too. He's helping the program host a series of free speed clinics at Kennedy Stadium every Wednesday for the rest of the month.
"I spent two years in Houston, and this is a light day for Houston," the 10-year NFL veteran says. "It's moments like this, being out in the sun, running, and getting coached up hard... these are the times that created me as an individual, so I hope they can be able to look back and remember these moments being instrumental into their character building."
At the end of the day, coaches say the name of the game is safety.
"It's all about communication," Goodwin says. "We want our players to talk to our coaches, and we want our coaches to talk to our players not just to know who they are, but to know how they feel."
