Maryland § 7-434

§ 7-434.

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

        (2)    “Heat acclimatization” means enhancing an individual’s exercise heat tolerance and ability to exercise safely and effectively in warm to hot conditions.

        (3)    “Practice” means a period of time a student athlete engages in physical activity during a coach–supervised, school–approved sports– or conditioning–related activity, including warm–up, stretching, weight training, and cool–down periods.

        (4)    “Preseason practice” means the initial 14 days of practice for a student athlete.

        (5)    “Recovery period” means the time between the end of one practice or walk–through and the beginning of the next practice or walk–through.

        (6)    “Student athlete” means a student who participates in an athletic program for high school students in a State secondary school that is a member of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association.

        (7)    (i)    “Walk–through” means a teaching opportunity when an athlete is not wearing protective equipment, including helmets, shoulder pads, catcher’s gear, or shin guards, or using other sports–related equipment.

            (ii)    “Walk–through” does not include any part of a practice period.

    (b)    (1)    The Department, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Health, each county board, the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, the Maryland Athletic Trainers’ Association, and representatives of licensed health care providers who treat student athletes, shall develop a model policy for preseason–practice heat acclimatization guidelines for student athletes.

        (2)    Each local board shall adopt preseason–practice heat acclimatization guidelines for student athletes consistent with the Model Policy for Preseason–Practice Heat Acclimatization Guidelines for Student Athletes established under paragraph (1) of this subsection.

    (c)    The preseason–practice heat acclimatization guidelines shall include requirements for the duration of a practice time, a walk–through, and a recovery period during preseason practice.

    (d)    Each middle school and high school shall develop a venue–specific emergency action plan for heat acclimatization that meets the requirements of § 7–450 of this subtitle.