PracticeCast
Current policy and 2026 FAQ · last source review

Tennessee WBGT rules for high school sports.

Tennessee prefers an on-site WBGT reading, but allows a digital psychrometer or weather-app heat index when no WBGT monitor is available. Forecast WBGT previews the bands only.

What coaches need to know

  • Under 82°F WBGT: normal activity with water access and heat-illness monitoring.
  • 82.0–86.9°F WBGT: at least three 3-minute rest breaks each hour.
  • 87.0–89.9°F WBGT: maximum 2-hour practice, football equipment restrictions, and four 4-minute breaks each hour.
  • 90.0–92.0°F WBGT: maximum 1-hour practice, no conditioning or football protective equipment, and 20 total minutes of rest.
  • Above 92.0°F WBGT: no outdoor practice; competitions have separate medical-provider and rapid-cooling requirements.

TSSAA Heat Policy

TSSAA prefers an on-site WBGT monitor. If one is unavailable, its current FAQ allows an on-site digital psychrometer or a weather app reporting heat index. This model displays the policy's WBGT bands; TSSAA also provides corresponding heat-index bands.

ConditionWhat the coach does
WBGT up to 81.9°Normal activities
  • Keep water available and allow athletes to drink at any time.
  • Monitor athletes for signs of heat illness.
WBGT 82°–86.9°Add three rest breaks each hour
  • Provide at least three separate rest breaks each hour, at least 3 minutes each.
  • Keep water available and allow athletes to drink at any time.
WBGT 87°–89.9°Limit practice to 2 hours and modify equipment
  • Limit practice to 2 hours.
  • Provide at least four separate rest breaks each hour, at least 4 minutes each.
  • For football, restrict equipment to helmet, shoulder pads, and shorts; remove protective equipment for conditioning.
WBGT 90°–92°Limit practice to 1 hour with no conditioning
  • Limit practice to 1 hour.
  • Provide 20 total minutes of rest during the hour.
  • For football, no protective equipment may be worn and no conditioning is permitted.
WBGT 92.1° and aboveNo outdoor practice
  • Do not conduct outdoor practice.
  • A competition may proceed only under TSSAA's separate medical-provider and rapid-cooling requirements.

Source reviewed 2026-07-30. Follow the source’s allowed measurement method.

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Use the current governing document. Local schools, districts, leagues, activities, and medical staff may apply additional or stricter requirements.

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