Minnetonka baseball tournament to proceed with caution through weekend heat wave

MINNETONKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - As heat and humidity make a comeback this weekend, outdoor events could be in jeopardy as people struggle with the soaring temperatures.

Several Minnetonka parents are concerned for their children’s safety as a baseball tournament is scheduled for the hottest parts of the day.

So far, the league has not cancelled the tournament games yet, which is concerning the parents of 10 and 11-year-old boys who fear having their kids play back-to-back games could put their lives in danger.

The heat index is expected to hit triple digits and, without a lot of shade at the baseball complex, parents fear their children are at risk of heat stroke.

“What we are asking for is some creativity in the scheduling,” said Molly Kerr. “There’s no reason these games have to be back-to-back.”

Kerr’s son will be playing with his team in the Minnetonka Baseball Association tournament. Her husband is the coach.

Last year, the team ran into the same situation with hot and humid weather and the kids played for hours without a lot of breaks.

“It was extremely terrifying. It was stressful,” Kerr said. “He felt largely responsible for everyone’s safety as he should as their coach.”

This year, Kerr says many parents have voiced their frustration with the league’s handling of unsafe weather conditions, but claim their complaints have not been addressed.

The Association sent out an email to parents giving them tips on how to keep their kids hydrated and cool, but they’ve never cancelled a game because of the heat.

The league’s President stressed that they will not force kids to play if there are any signs of heat illness.

“As soon as there is a safety issue, the umpire will bring the adults together and make a call to see if it makes sense to continue playing or if it’s unsafe conditions, we will shut the game down,” the President said.

Parents say games have been cancelled earlier this spring because it was too cold.

The league wants parents to be aware they have the ultimate say when it comes to their child’s safety and can keep the child from playing in the tournament if they’re concerned about the heat.