Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, Florida will require EKG screenings for incoming and first-time high school athletes to help detect hidden heart conditions before participation. The mandate, part of the Second Chance Act, aims to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest—the leading cause of death among student-athletes—by identifying issues early. 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…
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…
A free heart screening event at Nemours Children’s Health in Jacksonville offered electrocardiogram (EKG) screenings for children and young adults ages 10–22, helping identify underlying heart conditions early. The initiative highlights growing awareness among families about the importance of early detection to prevent sudden cardiac arrest. Read more…
A Jacksonville mother who lost her son to sudden cardiac arrest says Florida’s new ECG screening law could help save lives. Beginning July 1, incoming high school student-athletes will be required to receive a one-time ECG before participating in sports, and Duval County Public Schools is already offering free screenings for rising 9th graders. Read more…
An ECG screening conducted under Florida’s Second Chance Act identified a cardiac abnormality in a student’s cousin, allowing for early intervention before a potential life-threatening event. The case underscores how required screenings can detect hidden conditions and prevent sudden cardiac arrest in young people. Read more…
After losing her son Antonio Hicks to sudden cardiac arrest during football practice, Citrus County mother Lakesha Harrison now works to raise awareness about ECG heart screenings and early detection. Through Who We Play For, she encourages parents to screen their children for hidden heart conditions before tragedy strikes. Read more…
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