A major change is coming for Florida student-athletes, and Duval County is already getting ahead of it. Eighth graders at Fletcher Middle School received free heart screenings as part of a districtwide effort to protect young athletes before they step onto the field.
The sound of bouncing basketballs, the thud of football cleats on turf, and the rhythm of students running drills all paint a familiar picture. These young athletes push their bodies hard in the heat and long practices. But behind the scenes, a silent threat can go unnoticed.
Anastasia Aston from Who We Play For said, “We want to get ahead of some of these underlying conditions that a physical doesn’t usually cover.”
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Thursday, Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) is taking steps to confront that risk. Dozens of eighth-grade student-athletes received free heart screenings. The event was hosted in partnership with the Jacksonville Sports Medicine Program, with medical staff from Who We Play For conducting the tests. The goal is to catch hidden heart conditions before they strike…