Senate Bill 1248, or Yahushua’s Law was passed on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, named in remembrance of Yahushua Robinson. Robinson was a 12-year-old boy who died due to extreme heat and physical exertion. He was running laps in his P.E. class on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023 at Canyon Lake Middle School when he collapsed suddenly. The temperature that day reportedly reached 104 degrees. The law was introduced in response to the growing concerns regarding the health and safety of student athletes during extreme temperatures.
Yahushua’s Law requires the California Department of Education to create and put in place guidelines and safety protocols for extreme weather. These protocols include following weather reports, making sure students maintain hydrated and have access to shade, and postponing outdoor activities if weather conditions are deemed unsafe or extreme. These measures are expected to be put in place in all California school districts by 2026.
Even though Yahushua’s law is not yet instated, Berkeley High School sports teams have needed to modify their usual protocols to accommodate for the recent extreme heat in order to ensure the safety of BHS athletes. Several BHS fall sports games and practices have been postponed or canceled due to high temperatures. But without regulations in place, current safety measures for BHS athletes are specific to the individual sports team.
Katelyn Burmester, a BHS senior and captain of the BHS varsity field hockey team, said “There have been a few practices canceled ... But the team has mostly been playing through the heat.” The varsity field hockey team played at home on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, with temperatures reaching a high of 95 degrees. Burmester also mentioned staying hydrated as a key factor to ensuring athletes remain healthy and safe. The field hockey team is still striving to play to their best ability, despite having to navigate the difficult conditions.
Alex Herbelin, a BHS sophomore on the BHS varsity cross country team, feels that running in spite of the recent heat is challenging. Herbelin described a few ways the cross country team has been coping with the heat. “Our coaches have been limiting the time of our runs (during practices),” Herbelin said. She also described a technique coaches have implemented to keep athletes cool. “Coaches have sprayed water on runners who want to cool off,” she said. This is a quick and effective way to lower the body temperature of runners during practice. One cross country meet has been canceled due to hot weather, emphasizing the effect the extreme temperatures have on the schedules of athletes. Herbelin believes the measures taken by the cross country team have been very effective so far.
Although Yahshua’s Law has not yet been implemented across California schools, it is integral for the health and well-being of athletes. BHS and all other schools must continue actively creating new protocols as well as modifying older ones in order to ensure the safety of all of their students.