PHOENIX -- New guidelines aimed at stopping heatstroke deaths among student athletes have been issued by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

In 2008, four high school athletes and two college players died from the heat illness.

Concern about the deaths prompted the creation of a NATA task force that came up with the new recommendations.

The guidelines cover the first 14 days of practice during the pre-season, which often take place during the hottest days of summer.

The NATA recommends students practice no more than three hours a day.

They also recommend students only practice once a day for the first five days of pre-season practice.

After the first five days, NATA recommends students practice twice a day every other day from day six to day 14 of practice.

“I'd go with it ... because some people aren't fit for it. So I'd say one practice a day, that's good enough,” Central High School senior Johnny Hodges, 17, said about the recommendations.

Hodges plays football and practices three hours a day all summer long.

“It's exhausting. You get cottonmouth if you don't be drinking enough water. You gotta hydrate all day every day or you're not going to make it,” he said.

He’s lucky. His coaches never push him or his teammates too hard.

“We just tell ‘em, that if we need a break, we need a break. And they'll get somebody else in there for us,” he said.

The NATA guidelines won’t stop coaches who do put kids in danger; NATA is a professional membership organization and high schools do not have to follow their suggestions.