UNLV coaches take steps to avert heat-related illness

Steve Guiremand

Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001 | 11:07 a.m.

Even before Wednesday morning's stunning death of Minnesota Vikings All-Pro offensive tackle Korey Stringer to heat stroke, UNLV head football coach John Robinson respected the frequent triple-digit summer heat of Las Vegas.

One of the first things Robinson did upon taking over for Jeff Horton in December of 1998 was cancel August training camp in Mesquite, where three-a-day workouts in 100-plus degree weather was not uncommon. Then Robinson moved his starting times for two-a-day workouts at Rebel Park to 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

"We try to avoid the sun as much as we can," Robinson said Wednesday. "We speak to the players before the start of camp each year about the importance of being hydrated. We give them supplements like potassium and try to get them to sip water all day. And if anybody starts to show any signs of dehydration, we stop them from practicing."

Still, even Robinson admits the death of Stringer on Wednesday caused him to reflect on his team's policy again.

"It gives all of us a touch of fear," he said. "We're confident we're doing the right things here. But when something like this happens, it definitely causes you to review everything again."

Stringer's death hit the Robinson family hard. Son-in-law Johnny McWilliams, a frequent visitor at Rebel Park during spring practice, started part of the 2000 season at tight end for the Vikings and often lined up next to the 340-pound Stringer. And Robinson and wife Linda went back to Minnesota to watch several games last season. McWilliams signed a free agent contract with the New England Patriots this past spring after turning down an earlier offer from the Vikes.

"I just got off the phone with Johnny and he's very, very emotional right now because he was so close to Korey," Linda Robinson said Wednesday. "We're busy now trying to find out where to send some flowers."

Kyle Wilson, UNLV's director of athletic training, has been around UNLV football since 1984. He said there have been a couple of times during that span that players have had to go to the hospital with heat exhuastion but that they were normally released within a couple of hours.

"One of the big things we stress to the players is that they need to eat three good meals a day," he said.

"A lot of the time when it's hot, you don't feel like eating much and you might skip a meal. But that's not good to do."

Wilson also passes out water bottles to each player to take with them during the day.

"We tell them to take it with them to their meetings and also to their rooms," Wilson said.

"You can't just sit down and drink a gallon of water. It's better to spread it out during the day."