Broken Arrow junior catcher Luke Franks already has a defining memory in black and gold, and it came last spring in Enid. He remembers a regional where, as he puts it, “everyone doubted us,” but Broken Arrow never dropped a game on its way to the state tournament, reinforcing the program’s standard of expectation.

That run cemented what baseball has been teaching Franks since he first strapped on the gear behind the plate. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound backstop has learned that “hard work pays off” and that you must grind through rough stretches before things turn. “You have to work through hard times before it can get better and to never give up,” Franks said.

Franks’ competitive edge is shaped as much by the people around him as it is by the scoreboard. He points to his dad as his primary inspiration, calling him “the hardest worker I know” and someone who supports him no matter what. He still thinks back to eighth grade history with Coach Comfort, his favorite teacher, who made class fun and always took time to talk with him.

Inside the Tigers’ clubhouse, veteran catcher Chandler Cozbey left the biggest imprint on Franks’ development. As a freshman, Franks said Cozbey “was super nice and taught me how to handle a staff,” lessons that now guide him as he works with Broken Arrow’s pitchers.

For Franks, representing Broken Arrow baseball is about more than box scores. His favorite part is “that we get to leave a good impression about our school whenever we go somewhere,” whether that is a district road game or a return trip to state. The best advice he has received is simple: everything happens for a reason, so “keep your head down and stay working hard.”

He is quick to thank his parents and coaches for always backing him, and he models his game after Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, a fellow Oklahoma native known for his athleticism behind the plate. “I really like how he plays,” Franks said. “I feel like we’re very similar.”