Required free or low-cost EKGs for student athletes can save lives

Expanded access to AEDs and strong implementation of Florida’s Second Chance Act can significantly improve survival outcomes for students experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. The opinion piece emphasizes that early detection, emergency preparedness, and rapid response—including access to AEDs—are critical to saving lives in school settings. Read more…

Starting July 1, incoming 9th-grade athletes and students who have never played high school sports before must get heart screenings prior to participation.

Who We Play For is partnering with Orlando Health to provide community heart screening events for student-athletes as families prepare for Florida’s new Second Chance Act requirement, which takes effect July 1. The quick, noninvasive ECG screenings are designed to help identify hidden heart conditions linked to sudden cardiac arrest before an emergency occurs. Read more…

BayCare Medical Group and the nonprofit Who We Play For are offering community ECG heart screening events as Florida prepares to implement its new law requiring first-time high school student-athletes to receive an ECG before sports participation.. Read more…

Florida’s new law will require high school athletes to complete an ECG heart screening before participating in sports, aiming to detect hidden heart conditions that could lead to sudden cardiac arrest. The measure is designed to improve early detection and protect student-athletes following recent tragedies that raised awareness of cardiac risks. Read more…

Florida will require ECG screenings for high school athletes starting in the 2026–27 school year under the Second Chance Act, making it the first state to mandate the test. The screening aims to detect hidden heart conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest—the leading non-traumatic cause of death in young athletes. Read more…