Tyner football coach Wayne Turner has been serving dill pickle juice. Bradley Central coach Damon Floyd has gone to a product called Performance. Their peers are preaching fluid intake, particularly water.
With the initial round of high school games scheduled to begin Friday, coaches are concerned about players cramping.
"So much of our concern is not about the kids being out of shape but playing both ways, and going in the heat causes a lot of problems," Polk County coach Derrick Davis said.
Turner swears by pickle juice, which he gets from the school cafeteria once all the pickles have been used.
"There's some salt in it, but potassium is the big thing," he said. "The kids seem to like it, and it has helped us over the years."
The Rams even have pickle juice squirt bottles, identified with tape, available during their games.
It's a trick he learned about on ESPN and then saw in a coach's magazine.
The Performance drink at Bradley is purchased by the booster club and also is billed as a cramp-preventer.
East Hamilton breaks for water every 20 minutes during practice, and the coaching staff continually talks about hydration and still has players with muscle cramps.
"The problem is caused by the [heat and humidity] because they're losing a lot of fluid," Hurricanes coach Ted Gatewood said.
That is a problem for all coaches, most of whom detest opening the season in August.
"Starting games in the middle of August is way too early," Turner said. "I'd prefer to have the first game the Friday after Labor Day, because there's a better chance that the temperatures will come down some."
Said Davis: "How we got backed up playing three games in August I may never know. We hear talk of helping the kids, but starting football in the middle of August isn't doing it."
Player protection has been enhanced in Georgia this year with coaches now checking the heat index with a psychrometer.
"We have to check every 15 minutes, and I have to sign off on it," Heritage coach Tim James said.
The Generals also check pre-practice and post-practice player weights, and the staff has taken urinalyses so they know which players are more apt to cramp.
"One good way for a player to know is to check the color of his urine. If it is clear, he's good. If it is darker, he needs to increase his fluid intake."
Coaches are particular about the fluids players take and most advise eliminating soft drinks, tea and so-called energy drinks because of the caffeine.
"Caffeine is a diuretic and keeps them from holding their water," James said.
"It leads to a loss of fluids," Gatewood added. "We also talk to them about diet -- keeping them off greasy foods and things like that."
And it helps, James said, to increase the intake of bananas and/or raisins, which are high in potassium.
"I personally don't like Gatorade because it has a lot of sugar," Walker Valley's Glen Ryan said. "And soft drinks, anything with caffeine, are a no-no. Water breaks in practice are good, but so much depends on what they eat or drink from the end of one practice to the start of another."
Bradley's Floyd encourages players to bring a gallon of water to school with them, "and if they finish it, then start on another."
Said Davis: "The best drink and a good way to avoid muscle cramps is good ol' water, and lots of it."