Friday was the first day South Carolina football teams could hold official practices.
On Saturday, a freshman player in Darlington, SC, collapsed and passed away after a morning practice.
His sudden death struck a nerve with several coaches in the Lowcountry.
“You hear it and usually it’s some other state far away, but for it to be in South Carolina, it’s a sad thing,” Bishop England’s head football coach John Cantey said. “You always hope the South Carolina coaches are doing their best to take care of their players.”
The 14-year-old’s cause of death has not been released. Cantey said it just reiterates how closely coaches need to monitor their players.
“We tell them, if you feel it, get out, go take your helmet off, take a break,” Cantey said.
Bishop England practices at 4:00 p.m. Other teams practice in the early morning and early evening to avoid the hottest part of the day.
Medical professionals believe prevention is the best defense when it comes to intense heat.
“Most heat injuries you run into are best prevented, rather than treated,” said MUSC’s Sports Medicine Director, David Geier.
He said with South Carolina’s heat and humidity, it does not surprise him that a teenager died after a football practice. He also said the preseason is the time many injuries happen.
“You need to get kids in shape well before football practice starts, so they’re not coming in overweight, not acclimated to the heat, not acclimated to the cardiovascular and strength demands of football,” Geier said.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement