Herriman High School moves practices indoors because of poor air quality

HERRIMAN — The smoky air is causing trouble for high school sports teams trying to get daily practices completed.

In the Jordan School District, at least three high schools canceled or moved games and practices indoors on Wednesday afternoon, based on pollution readings.

Herriman High School administrators rented out the Real Salt Lake Academy indoor training facility so the football team and girls soccer team could practice.

Luke Abercrombie is a linebacker for the varsity football team.

“It’s a huge difference,” he said. “Lungs are burning, everything,” Abercrombie said about trying to run and exercise outdoors.

“It almost feels like you’re suffocating,” Abercrombie said.

Braxton Elmen, the athletic trainer for Herriman athletes, said it would be tough to cancel practice mid-season.

“We rented out the facility today because the air got to a point where it was unhealthy,” Elmen said.

Part of his job is to make sure the kids stay safe, under Utah High School Activities Association guidelines. A part of those include air quality concerns.

“Whether it’s heat illness, air quality, we have these procedures and they’re set in stone and we follow them,” Elmen told KSL TV.

Midfielder Ella Reading is glad to be practicing soccer indoors too.

“Honestly, when the air is bad it makes it so much harder,” Reading said. “You’re running and you can not breathe and your chest is just burning.”

She’s also glad practice wasn’t canceled.

“Canceling practice would be so hard on us, especially when we have two games a week. We like, gotta practice as much as possible. We have so little time,” Reading said.

The next concern will come Friday when the teams are set to hit the fields, outdoors. If the air is unhealthy, games will be rescheduled.