Virginia heat rules for high school sports.
Virginia law requires every school division to maintain and biennially update a heat-safety policy consistent with governing WBGT guidance. Numeric actions remain disabled until the proposed 2025 state update is finalized.
What coaches need to know
- Each local school division must develop, biennially review, and update an extreme-heat safety policy for student-athletes.
- Local policies must be consistent with WBGT guidance from the organization governing interscholastic athletics in Virginia.
- Policies must set scheduling parameters and the WBGT level at which outdoor practices or games are canceled.
- Policies must include at least five tiers of heat-acclimatization and activity-modification procedures.
- The detailed six-level 2025 VDOE update located during review remains labeled proposed; follow the division's adopted policy until final guidance is confirmed.
No statewide numeric table is shown. The public source provides guidance without one complete operational action table, so PracticeCast does not invent thresholds.
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Use the current governing document. Local schools, districts, leagues, activities, and medical staff may apply additional or stricter requirements.