A high school football player died Tuesday after collapsing during practice in Florida, school officials said.
The unidentified student at Citrus High School in Inverness died at Citrus Memorial Hospital, the school said in a statement on Facebook.
“We have been in contact with the student’s family and convey our heartfelt sympathy and support as they deal with this tragic loss,” the school said. “Please be assured that we will do everything possible to provide assistance to the family and the students and staff of Citrus High School.”
Principal Laura Mason posted her condolences on Twitter Tuesday, saying the community had “suffered a great loss” and the pain is “immeasurable.”
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our student athletes earlier this evening during football practice,’ Mason wrote. “Our heartfelt condolences are with the student’s family and the entire Hurricane community.”
Mason said counseling and support services will be made available to the school community in the coming days. No additional details were given regarding the student athlete.
Research by the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research at The University of North Carolina shows there have been 34 deaths related to on-field action among middle school and high school football players in the past 10 years, NBC noted.