The Damar Hamlin collapse has created a ripple effect throughout the football world, including the Texas high school football community.
Specifically, the incident has renewed attention to sports safety throughout interscholastic sports.
Fortunately, our state leads the way in preparing and addressing safety requirements for our student-athletes. Since 2007, by law, every Lone Star State school has an automated external defibrillator on its campus. Since the 2019 school year, the UIL claims the device has been used five times, including to save Monterey athlete Zaidyn Ward.
However, a school actually knowing an implementing cardiac-emergency response plans are unclear. Additionally, there is no regulations put in place for schools to upkeep these devices. Batteries and pads should be replaced in the lifesaving devices each year, but there is currently no accountability on whether or not they are properly maintained.
Outside of the AEDs, Dr. Alexander Postalian, a cardiologist at the Texas Heart Institute, has demanded more screening is needed to detect heart conditions in our student-athletes. Surprisingly, most heart-related injuries aren’t the result of one hit or blow to the chest. Most occur from pre-existing conditions that get worse with physical activity.
