Every year, recreational, high school, collegiate, and professional athletes die as a direct result from sport participation (7). The primary causes include cardiac arrest, head injuries, exertional sickling, asthma, and exertional heat stroke (EHS) (7). A recent article published in the NATA News (3) highlights the sudden deaths of young athletes, where in 2008 alone, they recount 12 high school football players died, along with 2 youth-leaguer football players and 2 soccer athletes (3,7). Although there are many causes of sudden death in sports, schools with sanctioned athletic events need to be prepared to prevent, assess, and treat these medical emergencies. The most appropriate individual to manage a medical emergency situation on a daily basis at the high school level is a certified athletic trainer.
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