Making the decision to suspend or cancel practices or games due to inclement weather is often difficult. Seasons are short and the number of practice days are limited. Although we hate to give up any of these opportunities for the athletes to work on their skills, the safety of the athletes and all others involved must be the primary consideration. Light to moderate rain or snow may be just considered an inconvenience and may be viewed by some coaches as an opportunity to practice in those conditions knowing that the team may have to play in those conditions at some time. While this is true, we must still balance any gain in skill and strategy execution with providing a safe environment for the athletes.
Severe weather is a different case.
Depending on where you live and the time of the year, severe weather may be tornadoes, thunderstorms, low wind chills, heavy snow, or high heat and humidity. Each of these represents a clear and present danger to athletes and anyone else in the sport environment. Coaches, officials, and administrators must have policies and procedures to implement to protect people from these dangers. Virtually every year one or more athletes die from some type of heat related injury. Cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke are all possible consequences of exercising in excessive heat.