Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 15, 1995 TAG: 9507170126
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The cyclists raced past each other with blazing speed.
And that was just to get to the water cooler.
The cyclists weren't the only athletes feeling the heat as the Commonwealth Games of Virginia got off to a sweltering start in the Roanoke Valley on Friday. Tennis and soccer players at River's Edge felt it, too. Even the basketball players at William Byrd Junior High School were sweating more than usual.
So were the Games' officials, as the temperatures soared higher than a duffer's golf score.
According to the National Weather Service, the high in Roanoke was 95 degrees Friday. It won't be any cooler today. Or Sunday, when the Commonwealth Games end their three-day stay in the Roanoke Valley.
It felt hotter on Friday. In fact, the heat index - a combination of air temperature and humidity that measures heat intensity, or ``how hot it feels,'' as one Weather Service official succinctly put it - was 108 degrees by mid-afternoon.
With 33 events scheduled for today - the fattest day of competition in the Games - director of sports medicine Dr. John Heil was trying to get the word out that athletes should take precautions before competing.
``Our medical team is on alert,'' said Heil. ``We're monitoring our venues to make sure there is enough water, ice and fluids available.''
Heil said that four squadrons of volunteers will be on call to deliver water and ice to sporting venues during the weekend. Heil said those groups are known as ``SWAT teams'' because of their ability to make quick surgical strikes with supplies, although there seemed to be some support to re-name them ``sweat teams'' this weekend.
Some event coordinators didn't wait for the special deliveries. Betty Barr, who was directing the tennis matches at River's Edge, began stockpiling ice Friday morning.
``I started picking up ice at 7-Eleven first thing this morning,'' said Barr. ``We've had plenty of ice at all three locations [River's Edge, Wasena Park and Crystal Spring Park].''
Heil said athletes need to drink lots of water before competing in an event, not just during and after, although it's important to drink water then, too, to replace fluids.
``I would tell athletes that they need to pace their efforts over the weekend,'' said Heil. ``They need to drink plenty of fluids all weekend, not just when they're thirsty. ... You're not drinking to satisfy an immediate need, you're drinking to prepare you for your activity.''
There were few reports of heat-related problems on Friday, when just six events were taking place, although a couple of cyclists could not finish their road races because of the heat.
Most of the experienced riders were prepared for the heat before embarking on their races, which ranged from 20 to 40 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
``No heat exhaustion, yet,'' said Bob Renaud, one of the cycling coordinators. ``The heat's been a problem, but not as bad as I thought it would be. We've got some people who know how to prepare themselves for something like this.''
Roanoke's Don Mankie was one of those people.
``I drank [water] all day, all week,'' said Mankie, who rode in one of the 32-mile races. ``I've been dreading this. ... I probably drank a gallon of water on my ride.''
The heat was almost as bad indoors. A basketball spectator called Games headquarters and asked if some fans could be provided at William Byrd Junior High. She wasn't talking about the kind of fans that sit in the bleachers. Byrd is one of the cooler basketball venues, too. Many of the local gyms don't have air conditioning.
Soccer coordinator Carol Schmidt said some concessions were made to the heat. Teams will play only 30-minute halves during Games matches.
``That's probably the minimum,'' said Schmidt. ``We could play a little longer, but we thought we better cut back.''
Heil said coaches should take responsibility for their athletes and should make sure their teams have enough fluids available.
Coordinators, too, are telling athletes to pace themselves.
``We talk to the kids and tell them if they've got a problem [with the heat], then stop the game,'' said Barr. ``No medal's worth getting sick.''
by CNB