Riverdale player in coma has died from heat stroke

[Silver King]

Tragic

From NBC2:

"The Lee County Sheriff's Office said they have opened an investigation into the death of 16-year-old Zach Polsenberg.

Polsenberg died Monday evening after suffering a heat stroke during a football practice at Riverdale High School.

According to the Florida High School Athletic Association, the school is responsible for setting guidelines for practices held during the summer.

The district released the following statement, saying it follows the FHSAA guidelines:

This practice was part of off-season conditioning and took place from 7-10:30 a.m. It was held both indoors and outdoors. At these practices, water breaks are given at least every 30 minutes and sooner if needed. Players are also encouraged to stop and hydrate whenever necessary during those breaks.

Doctors diagnosed Polsenberg with heat stroke and estimated his body temperature at 107 degrees. His temperature did not lower for more than an hour..."

 

[DarterBlue2]

Very sorry to hear about this tragic event. Condolences to the young man's family and his teammates.

On a side note, I believe the new head coach at Riverdale is Apopka's James Delgado who was a member of the 2001 state championship team and had coached at Apopka as the O'Line coach through last year.

 

[Silver King]

Its awful when something like this happens.

 

[DarterBlue2]

Its awful when something like this happens.

The burning question is: what can be done to reduce the incidence of this happening in hot, southern states like Florida during summer workouts?

 

[Silver King]

It's always happened. Heart issues, Heat stroke and Lightening.

It would probably be shocking to see how many deaths in Florida from those three things - as for lightning, I remember 4 got hit and killed in Tampa when I was playing.

I saw an article that said 52 people were struck and killed in Fl the last decade. In Charlotte County, just last week I saw a rancher post a shot of nine dead Angus cattle on FB, killed from a single lightening strike. We have mandated lighting times now, as frustrating as that can be, its a good thing.

Water is at least something you can monitor, but why just this poor kid and no one else? Is it something else in his physiology? I came from the era of salt pills and very little water during practices, maybe a mid-practice break. But, even in college I don't remember consistent regular structured water breaks. Sometimes the coaches just forgot and as the weather got cooler, it wasn't even brought out. Never saw a serious case of heat stroke, then again we were probably more accustomed to working manual labor jobs outside in the summer heat. Athletes today do a lot of lifting in AC gyms and field houses.

 

[DarterBlue2]

It's always happened. Heart issues, Heat stroke and Lightening.

It would probably be shocking to see how many deaths in Florida from those three things - as for lightning, I remember 4 got hit and killed in Tampa when I was playing.

I saw an article that said 52 people were struck and killed in Fl the last decade. In Charlotte County, just last week I saw a rancher post a shot of nine dead Angus cattle on FB, killed from a single lightening strike. We have mandated lighting times now, as frustrating as that can be, its a good thing.

Water is at least something you can monitor, but why just this poor kid and no one else? Is it something else in his physiology? I came from the era of salt pills and very little water during practices, maybe a mid-practice break. But, even in college I don't remember consistent regular structured water breaks. Sometimes the coaches just forgot and as the weather got cooler, it wasn't even brought out. Never saw a serious case of heat stroke, then again we were probably more accustomed to working manual labor jobs outside in the summer heat. Athletes today do a lot of lifting in AC gyms and field houses.

For better or worse, the size of high school athletes, especially linemen, has increased significantly since the 1970s and 1980s when you and I were young. In reading the article, I see where the kid was about 320 lbs. For a 16 year old to be that big probably puts undue stress on more than one body organ. Heck, I remember in the mid 1980s William (the Refrigerator Perry) was an aberration due to his massive size. So I feel this, in addition to people not being out in the sun as much, probably have something to do with it.

Regardless, I feel for those that loved this young man. I can't imagine how I would have felt if one of my kids had passed away at such a tender age.

 

[Dan in Daytona]

My condolences to the family. Darter and SK make some great points on this tragic and often reoccurring situation. I too, come from the era of " water breaks are for wimps." Thank god that ignorance has passed. School's still should do more. Whether coaches are aloud to be with the kids now in summer get togethers, outside of 7 on 7, I don't know. But adult competent supervision must always be present. Football is year-round now. Coaches need to be involved at all times. Abolish the FHSAA rules that prohibit this out-of-season contact.

 

[anon_00zx5879k0jmw]

SK is correct salt rocks/tablets are very, very important at football practice. Whenever salt rocks/tablets were used we never hear of any kid going down like this. Then all these so called "science" gurus say that plain water is best for players. They do not take into account the amount of salt and electrolytes players lose. You can drink all the water all day long but if you lose too much salt there is an imbalance and your body will shut down. There was a player in United Kingdom who actually died because he drunk too much water. Again, there's an imbalance. With all these so called science gurus who says that drinking water is more important have done nothing except hurt players. Some guys creates a drink called gatorade and they sold it to the world that drinking it and water are more important than replenishing your salt intake. If you are dehydrated with a high loss of salt you MUST replenish that salt or your body will shut down.

It reminds me when a player gets cramps. The "science gurus" say drinking water will correct it but not in all cases is this true. I've known players who drank water before games and still ended up cramping. The cramping wasn't caused because of lack of water but most likely an imbalance. One teaspoon of plain ole' vinegar actually takes away just about every type of cramps players have.


I feel so bad for this player's family because science and medical gurus are failing many people because of one simple thing, $$$$$. Its about the sale and that is all its about. Go back to the way it use to be and I can promise you we will not see players go down like this.

As for lightening, to be honest I would love to see schools start putting their money into indoor practice facilities. If Texas can spend millions on high school football stadiums that look like an NFL stadium I am sure Florida can start spending money on indoor facilities football players.

Also these stupid video games, Xbox and others do not help these kids, they don't grow up in the sun so they're bodies doesn't adapt to it.

I really hate to see this happen to players and it drives me crazy that the truth is being hidden from people.

 

[Silver King]

Great points fellas, Darter, when Perry played he was the first 300 pounder. I think I once read that with in five years there were over 200.

HWF, that's interesting about salt - I laid sod during the summer, and drinking just wouldn't cut it, by 2pm on a blistering day you'd be delirious just gulping down water - salt at practice was much better. In college we'd hang up a practice jersey and it would dry in place so you could stand it up by itself, dried salt all over it.

 

[anon_00zx5879k0jmw]

I remember I use to see 50 gallon barrels of salt rock at our stadium back in the 80s. They actually kept it in the visitor's locker room.

 

[blackpopsicle]

Google is so easy. http://www.livestrong.com/article/273703-how-much-sodium-is-in-gatorade/