NATCHEZ — Just because teams may not be battling physical opponents during the summer months while they prepare for the football season, it doesn’t mean they’re not putting up a fight.

During summer workouts the heat can often be an issue for most teams, college, high school, professional or otherwise.

Locally, several football teams are doing what they can to make sure the heat doesn’t win the fight.

“Everybody has their own philosophy,” Ferriday High coach Freddie Harrison said. “Some say you should go out during peak heat times so you can be tougher and ready to go.

“From my experience, it doesn’t make any sense to go out there during the peak heat times if you’re not playing in it.”

To help keep his players cool, and get the most out of them, Harrison holds practices in the late morning and evenings. Typically his practices run from 9 a.m. to noon and 6 to 8 p.m.

“We never hit the heat, we try to avoid it,” he said.

Harrison said part of the reason they practice in the evening rather than earlier is because 6 p.m. is about the time his team will play everyday.

“They’re not going to be playing at 3 p.m., so I try to get them in the temperature they’re going to be playing in.

“If I had to play in it, I’d practice in it.”

Ferriday isn’t the only team to avoid the noon sun.

Cathedral practices from 4 to 6 p.m. and Adams County Christian School practices from 8 to 10 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.

“The philosophy has changed so much in the last 15 years,” Cathedral School coach Craig Beesley said. “They used to not give kids water breaks — thought it’d make them tougher.

“Now you have to or you’ll lose them quick.”

Another way teams are battling the summer heat is by providing the players with plenty of water breaks and the use of cool towels.

Beesley said his team also has a fan that sprays cool water on his players during breaks, although he admitted he probably doesn’t have enough for it to be as effective as he’d like.

One problem that faces coaches and players alike is how to tell when a player may be in danger.

“The main thing about the heat is to take precautions,” Beesley said. “Drink the water even if you think you don’t need it. A lot of kids wait until it’s too late.”

Part of being cautious, ACCS coach Paul Hayles said, is to know your players.

“You’ve got to look at your kids. If you have a kid that’s a heavy sweater and he looks dry, he could be getting into a major issue.

“It comes down to knowing your kids.”

All three coaches said they’ve been fortunate to not have any players suffer from heat stroke or severe hydration. They have, however, had a few players who have had to sit out because they were overheated.