This week marks the official start of heat acclimatization week for District 11 football teams — a key step toward the start of the high school football season.

“It’s kind of ironic because more often than not, heat acclimation week doesn’t tend to be very hot,” Lehighton head coach Tom McCarroll said with a laugh. “Look at the weather next week. Monday is supposed to be a high of 85, then it kind of trickles down from there — not up.”

McCarroll estimates that only a handful of years have actually been hot enough to truly acclimate to the heat.

“So in terms of its actual purpose, I don’t know if it necessarily serves that,” he said, “but we obviously treat it as such, and we certainly don’t take it lightly.”

More Than Just

Weather Prep

McCarroll doesn’t view it as separate from preseason. When he created his offseason plan in January, he identified heat acclimatization as the start of the season.

“Obviously, there are some restrictions with the PIAA and things like that. You can’t do full-contact stuff,” he said. “But as far as us installing our offense and defense, we hit the ground running on Monday.”

According to the PIAA, all schools sponsoring football are required to institute a heat acclimatization program that begins no earlier than Aug. 4 or 5, and continues for five consecutive days leading up to the first legal practice date of Aug. 11. Teams must complete all five days before beginning any contact drills.

“I think they’re good. I do think they’re productive, and they come from a good spot,” McCarroll said of the PIAA guidelines. “It’s just navigating the types of drills we can do prior to install. That’s really the only thing that’s different — we just have to make sure we’re abiding by those rules.”

Palmerton head coach Chris Walkowiak takes a similar approach, using the week to gradually introduce players to the physical demands ahead.

“This week, we’re adding the shoulder pads to get them used to the weight on their bodies. That’s really one of the changes,” he said.

Beating the Heat

with Scheduling

Both coaches are mindful of summer conditions when they do appear. Palmerton holds early morning sessions from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., then returns for evening practices from 5 to 7 p.m.

“If you went right through the day, you’re right in the dead heat of it. I’ve been there, done that years ago,” Walkowiak said. “But I like the 5-7 o’clock period. The scheduling isn’t just about avoiding heat — it’s about maximizing field time and giving kids a break between sessions.”

Preseason Then vs. Now

Both McCarroll and Walkowiak recall a much more demanding preseason schedule during their playing days.

“When I played, there was one year we had three weeks of two-a-days,” McCarroll said. “Now, there’s really only one full week of two-a-days in full pads.”

Walkowiak tells his players they have it much easier today.

“I always tell the kids, this is like a country club now compared to when we had to do doubles,” he said. “Back then, you had two-and-a-half full weeks of it — and you were allowed to do doubles and triples. You had two scrimmages. We went doubles until Monday and Tuesday leading up to the first game.”

Now, the preseason is a shorter, more structured buildup.

“You guys have four days — you have four days of doubles,” Walkowiak tells his team. “Then Friday, we have a morning only because Saturday, you’re already at your scrimmage.”

A Summer of Prep

Most players have been together for weeks, even months, leading up to this point. Walkowiak estimates 75–80% attendance during summer workouts, typically held three days a week in helmets.

McCarroll noted that summer workouts are not mandatory, so there are always a few players who need to be brought up to speed.

“You really have to go backward a little bit, make sure you start from square one and bring these kids along,” he said.

That’s where heat acclimatization week can be most beneficial — not necessarily to prepare for hot weather, but to get everyone on the same page before full practices begin.

Year-Round Commitment

Both coaches emphasized that the focus on preparation doesn’t begin and end in August. Nutrition and hydration are discussed year-round.

“We are constantly on them from January about their nutrition,” Walkowiak said. “We always say, ‘Feed the machine — the machine will take care of you.’”

Lehighton works closely with Lehigh Valley Health Network, and McCarroll praised head athletic trainer Kristen Gieniec for her impact.

“She’s the best trainer I’ve ever worked with,” McCarroll said. “We actually are going to bring a nutritionist in to sit down with our kids and do a little presentation about what they should eat and what their meals should look like during the season and two-a-days.”

That’s a far cry from his playing days.

“When I played, it was, ‘Hey, drink enough water — OK, good luck,’” he said.

Looking Ahead

Both programs are focused on their upcoming scrimmages — Palmerton will face Panther Valley, while Lehighton prepares to take on Pocono Mountain East.

“Heat acclimation week is always exciting, no matter what — whether it’s just shoulder pads and helmets or if it’s full pads, it doesn’t matter,” McCarroll said. “Now, it’s real football. We’re here. The season’s here. So the excitement level couldn’t be higher. And every school should feel the same way at this point.”

For coaches throughout District 11, heat acclimatization week represents the culmination of months of planning — and the beginning of another season’s journey.