Summer Athletes Feel The Heat As Temperatures Reach Triple Digits

The heat isn’t stopping athletes in Broken Arrow from participating in a major softball tournament.

The Tulsa Elite Invite runs Wednesday through Sunday, with around 60 games being played each day.

Many players said they're used to extreme temperatures.

Teams from across the country are here this week to be seen by college coaches. They said not even extreme heat can stop them.

Heat index values in Broken Arrow are expected to be over 105 degrees over the next couple days. Tournament Organizer Denisa Kerr said that is typical for Oklahoma summers.

75 softball teams are competing in that heat in the Tulsa Elite Invite, with many teams playing at least twice a day during the hottest week of the year so far.

"We are used to it we've played in hotter,” Kerr said. Kerr said while Oklahomans are used to this kind of extreme heat, some players are not.

“We do sometimes have issues with girls who come in from the northern areas or areas that don't have the humidity like we do,” Kerr said.

Tournament organizers said they are taking precautions to keep everyone healthy.

“We start in the morning at eight, ten, and twelve,” Kerr said. “Taking a break in the middle of the day and letting them come back at five, seven, and nine, so they have some time off during the real heavy heat of the day.”

Parent and former coach Casey Borovac said these tournaments are all about planning.

“Increasing your water intake a few days before the event, and gradually increase it, it regulates your body, so as long as you are hydrated your body should stay balanced,” Borovac said.

We asked them why anyone would want to spend six days out in the heat, everyone said this tournament is worth it.

"I just love it, growing up I just fell in love with it even more,” Athlete Taylor Borovac said.

“They want to get them into a good college and get an education, and yes the girls love the sport you have to, or you could never make it through, but the goal is to play college ball,” Kerr said.

Families said they travel to several tournaments each month and love every minute of it.

Organizers said they do have medical staff on site in the case a player or spectator gets dehydrated or overheated.