In its ongoing effort to minimize the risk of participating in high school athletics, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has produced a free online course entitled "A Guide to Heat Acclimatization and Heat Illness Prevention."

With fall football practice set to begin across the country in about a month and with record heat in many locations this year, the information contained in this course could help save lives, according to Tim Flannery, NFHS director of coach education.

The course, which provides critical information designed to minimize the risk of activity-related heat stroke among high school athletes, is the fourth and latest free course in the NFHS Coach Education Program available online.