As you pace down the crowded and busy hallways, I’m sure you have seen only guys carrying around milk jugs full of water. Although it seems dramatic to carry a gallon around, there is a good reason behind it.

No, it is not a fashion statement, but more of a necessity for the football players to lug around water throughout the school day. The coaches and trainers encouraged this rule to keep the guys hydrated before they start a sweaty practice.

“Our goal as an athletic training staff is to prevent heat illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke,” said Mrs. Oliver, the head Athletic Trainor. “In a sport such as football, an athlete may lose a significant amount of fluid during one or more practice sessions during the day. By carrying the water jug, the athlete is always conscious of its presence and purpose. The athlete cannot simply toss the bottle in a backpack and forget about it. Drinking moderate amounts of water throughout the day is much easier than trying to consume a lot of water right before practice.”

All fellow Texans understand that the heat in the afternoon is no joke, but neither is keeping around a gallon of water. If players are spotted by a coach without a water jug during the day, they are threatened with running punishments and its game over from there.

“I personally have never seen any of my fellow teammates get punished with running drills because of not having water, but that’s also because everyone is too scared to no carry their water,” said football player, Braydon Burciaga. “We don’t want to take the chance. As a teammate, I try to encourage my friends to not forget their jug.”

The Football coaches have explained that if any teacher has a problem with a student having the water in their classroom, to directly email them personally and they would take care of the problem. Therefore, there are no excuses as to why they players can’t carry water.

“My teachers haven’t had a problem with the jugs,” said Sam De Los Reyes. “I’ll casually take sips of my water throughout my classes without a problem. But we are not allowed to leave them behind. Usually I put a good dent in it, drinking about half of the gallon before practice which is perfect because I’ll finish it off by the end of the day.”