Published: 9/26/2017 3:46:57 PM
Modified: 9/26/2017 3:47:01 PM
The week’s continued heat wave has again led Vermont-based Upper Valley high school to cancel or postpone athletic events today and Wednesday.
It’s the second day in a row that the heat has forced schedule changes.
Oxbow’s boys soccer home game with Richford was called off today; a note on the school’s athletics website said the rescheduled match would “hopefully” take place on Wednesday. Woodstock put off a Marble Valley League cross country meet with Hartford, Windsor and Thetford, among other schools, less than a day after pushing back the start time in hopes of cooler temperatures. Thetford Academy’s boys soccer visit to Lyndon today was postponed as well.
Today’s cancellations come on the heels of other delays announced by area schools on Monday night. Woodstock switched times and locations of today’s date with Green Mountain, moving a home game with the Chieftains to Chester for a 7 p.m. start. Woodstock field hockey pushed Wednesday’s date with Otter Valley to Thursday, when temperatures are expected to cool considerably. Windsor also moved a home match with Black River to the latter's Dorsey Park in Ludlow this evening. Hartford postponed Wednesday’s home field hockey game with Brattleboro to Oct. 6.
The Vermont Principals Association requires schools to call off games and practices with the heat index, which is what the temperature feels like to the human body, surpasses 86 degrees. Forecasts are for daytime highs near 90 through Wednesday.
Schedules for New Hampshire’s Upper Valley schools have remained largely unchanged this week. The New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association doesn’t ban its members from hosting games or practices in hot weather, offering guidelines on how to monitor athletes’ health instead.