What’s trending this year at North Atlanta? Three words: “H” and “2” and “O.” All of the coolest kids are staying hydrated this year, but how? Well, everyone remembers the days of the past, when YETI cups and S’well Bottles were all the rage and teenagers everywhere implored their parents to spend upwards of $25 just for cold water. Now, hydration, especially for North Atlanta football players, comes at a much lower price in the form of 50-cent, one-gallon, plastic water jugs.

Big jugs of water from Publix aren’t super discreet so it’s pretty difficult to miss the nearly 100 boys on the football team lugging them around the school and taking swigs of water every few minutes. The big question on everyone’s mind about this unique trend is, “Why bother?” It seems like it takes more time and energy to keep up with the heavy and large cargo, when players could easily use regular water bottles. However, the simple answer to everyone’s question is that the water jugs hydrate more effectively, which is a vital part of sport performance. If, during a game or practice, the football players on the team are not completely hydrated, their bodies may struggle to produce sweat to cool off, which leads to the risk of many heat-related illnesses. Sam Ferguson, a junior on the North Atlanta football team maintains that the slight inconvenience of carrying his jug around doesn’t bother him much. “I definitely see the benefits in having [the jug] with me. Coach wants to make sure we are hydrated so we can be on top of our game when we’re playing,” said Ferguson.

Although it now seems obvious that using the big water jugs is effective, it hasn’t always been a trend in the sports community at North Atlanta. Typically, players in past years would just carry around reusable water bottles or even nothing at all. However, this year, with fall temperatures at record highs, staying hydrated is crucial for safe and exceptional sporting. In fact, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research (NCCSIR), 38 of 243 football-related deaths from 1990 to 2010 were due to heat-related illnesses, many of which occurred in the South. Keeping players hydrated and regulating their body temperatures while on the field helps to reduce the risk of these heat-related illnesses becoming an issue. Wiley Hartley is a sophomore and the starting quarterback on the North Atlanta football team. “We don’t have to drink the entire jug of water because even just half of it helps us stay cool and hydrated during practices,” said Hartley.

It takes a lot of skill, strength and stamina to play football. This year, with North Atlanta’s first huge win of the year against the Grady football team, it seems that maybe there is one huge secret to victory: water. Could keeping our team players fully hydrated with big gallons of water before practices and games finally lead to the rise of the Warriors as a force to be reckoned with? Only time can tell.