Sam Schmitz

Schools and Leagues Need Clear Heat and Smoke Stop-Play Rules

Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are turning routine sports decisions into public-health and equity questions, argued Lindsey Burghardt, Sam Schmitz, Jennifer Vanos and Graham Zimmerman at Aspen Ideas: Climate. They said schools, leagues and event organizers should assess conditions at the field—not rely on citywide forecasts—then give trained adults clear authority to alter or stop play, with shade, cooling and hydration built into participation. The speakers’ broader case was that safe outdoor activity cannot depend on a family’s ability to buy private alternatives.