As fall sports start, Tucson parents are concerned over heat advisories

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – As many kids gear up for fall sports, heat advisories are still regularly in effect — far later in the season than previous years. Parents are concerned their children won’t be able to take the heat.

Ryan Homsey is an assistant coach for I9 Soccer, his 6-year-old daughter’s soccer team.

“There is a trend where it is getting hotter in the season, it is a concern,” Homsey said. “But we do live in Arizona, so that’s something we deal with on an annual basis.”

Fall sports give children a chance to get active, and as a parent and a coach, Homsey ensures his players are safe in the extreme heat.

“We’ll have short, incremental spurts of exercise followed by water breaks,” Homsey said. “We’ll probably bring out those 10 by 10 tents to provide more shade for the children.”

Fellow parent and coach Zalo Guerrero, director of operations for the Marana Reapers Lacrosse program, had hoped for declining temperatures by the end of the month.

The lingering heat has been difficult for his players.

“2-hour practice at 100 degrees is rough,” Guerrero said. “We do travel teams, so we go out to California. The players are talking about, ‘It’s hot at 80 degrees training’ but the Arizona kids are travelling at 110 degrees. It’s definitely hard.”

Amanda Lopez’s 7-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter attend Guerrero’s lacrosse practices. Although her daughter braves the heat, Lopez tells 13 News that the heat has been especially tough for her younger son, Eliam.

“By the time practice is over, he’s cranky already,” Lopez said. “He’s a little frustrated and ready to go home and crash out.”

Lopez said that when the heat gets to Eliam, she not only sees a shift in his behavior, but also in his performance.

When asked about playing in the heat, Eliam told 13 News that he was “grossed out.”

“The weather is a little hotter than I expected,” Eliam said.

Several youth games are expected to continue throughout the weekend even with the hotter temperatures. Parents tell 13 News they try to stay cautious of the heat, and are grateful that their children’s coaches are putting safety first.

Pima County Health and Community Services recommend drinking more water than usual, avoiding beverages with high amounts of caffeine and sugar, and staying indoors during the hottest times of the day.

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