07/14/2026
🥍☀️ HOT WEATHER GAME GUIDELINES
Player safety is our top priority. GNLL (Great Northern Lacrosse League) follows the heat index guidelines below for all league games. These policies are separate from our local practice guidelines.
🌡️ Below 90°F
• Games proceed as scheduled.
• Players will be monitored closely, substituted frequently, encouraged to hydrate, and may remove helmets when appropriate.
🌡️ 90°F–99°F
Quarter Games
• One mandatory 1-minute water break each quarter.
• Each quarter will be shortened by 1 minute.
Half Games
• One mandatory 2-minute water break per half.
• Each half will be shortened by 2 minutes.
🌡️ 100°F–105°F
Quarter Games
• One mandatory 2-minute water break each quarter.
• Each quarter will be shortened by 2 minutes.
Half Games
• Two mandatory 2-minute water breaks per half.
• Each half will be shortened by 4 minutes.
🌡️ Above 105°F
• Games will not begin if the heat index is above 105°F.
• If the heat index rises above 105°F during play, the game will be suspended until conditions improve.
• If conditions do not improve, the game may be delayed, canceled, or ended. Players, families, and spectators should move to shade or, preferably, an air-conditioned location while waiting.
💧 During Mandatory Water Breaks
• Game and penalty clocks will stop.
• Helmets should be removed.
• No coaching is permitted.
• Players should hydrate, use cold wet towels when available, and cool their heads and necks.
Full policy:
Air Quality Index Alert (AQI) Should the AQI be over 200 at the scheduled time for the game, games should be postponed, delayed, or canceled. Airnow.gov can be used to check current and predicted Air Quality Index. The safety of players, coaches, officials, spectators, and others involved in th...
