Topeka ? Coaches are asking their players this week to hit the books and hit the field — but hit the water bottle even harder.

With temperatures at or above the century mark, players and coaches are taking precautions against oppressive heat as they begin training for the fall sports season.

The National Weather Service issued heat advisories for much of the Midwest Monday, as air temperatures were expected to be above 100 with the heat index — a ratio of the heat and humidity — even higher.

Coaches said they had become more aware of the dangers to young athletes in extreme conditions, which can be deadly.

In August 1998, 17-year-old Robert Alexander Barrett collapsed and died after the season’s first practice at Wichita Southeast High School.

Gregg Gordon, athletics director at Salina Central High School, said coaches and trainers monitored conditions and modified practices accordingly.

“We’ve got a district policy during this kind of weather, nothing before 6 p.m. to get them out of the direct sunlight,” Gordon said.

Rusty Newman, director of students services/athletics for the Shawnee Mission School District, said officials had strict guidelines, including when pads may be worn during football practice depending on conditions.

“Today, since there’s such extreme heat, I informed schools there’s no outside activity permitted after school,” he said.

However, because teams will be playing on warm Friday nights in August and September, Newman said, players have to learn to deal with the heat.