Katy High School's first football practice of the 2026 preseason opened Monday, Aug. 3, with a wet bulb globe temperature reading of 86.2 and players in shorts only, no pads or helmets allowed.
That's the new reality under mandatory UIL heat-safety rules that took effect Saturday, Aug. 1, requiring every Texas high school to measure WBGT before and during outdoor athletic practices. The rules govern how long teams can stay outside, how often they must rest and what gear they can wear.
At 86.2, Katy's Monday reading triggered restrictions requiring practice limited to two hours, at least four rest breaks per hour and football players restricted to shorts, according to KERA News.
Katy ISD Executive Director of Athletics Lance Carter stood on the sideline with rapid cooling equipment staged steps from the practice field. That included a device known as a "taco" — a tarp opened like a taco shell where an athlete can lie down and be doused in ice water. Multiple athletic trainers monitored the session for both traditional injuries and heat-related concerns.
Five tiers, one thermometer
The UIL's threshold system for the Houston/Katy area (Class 3) dictates escalating restrictions as WBGT climbs:
- Under 82: Full three-hour practice, no modifications
- 82–86.9: Three four-minute breaks per hour, rapid cooling site required on-site
- 87–89.9: Two-hour limit, four rest breaks per hour, shorts only for football
- 90–92: One-hour limit, no pads or helmets, no conditioning drills
- Above 92: Practice moves indoors or is canceled
The National Weather Service reports average August WBGT for the Houston area ranges between 85 and 95, meaning most early-season outdoor practices will require some modification.
Why now
The UIL Legislative Council voted in June 2026 to make WBGT monitoring mandatory after three years of recommending the practice. The decision followed a 2025 summer in which a Houston-area high school football player suffered heatstroke during a private training session and a Dallas-area player died after a medical emergency during an August practice.
"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 said, according to KERA News. "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."
The rules apply to practices only, not games. Harrison noted that 100% of heat-related deaths in recent years occurred during practice, where athletes endure long periods of high-exertion activity, compared to roughly six to eight minutes of peak effort in a typical football game.
Texas joins at least 17 other states that now require WBGT readings to govern outdoor athletic practices.
What's next for Katy families
Schools must take a WBGT reading at least 15 minutes before practice and repeat the measurement every 30 minutes during outdoor activity, according to KPRC. The rules also apply to marching band rehearsals.
Some Texas schools are shifting outdoor practices to 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. to avoid the hottest window between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. The bigger scheduling challenge arrives Wednesday, Aug. 12, when Katy ISD's school year begins and teams that traditionally practice at 4 p.m. will face the day's peak heat readings head-on.
