Flagler Schools Update Mandatory ECG Testing Policy for Student Athletes, This Time Without Controversy

An EKG screening identified a serious heart condition in a Florida student-athlete ahead of the statewide mandate, allowing for early treatment and a safe return to sports. The case highlights how ECG testing can detect hidden conditions that routine physicals may miss and prevent potentially life-threatening events. 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…

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…

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

The FHSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee outlined how ECG screening will be implemented under the Second Chance Act, including required forms, documentation, and eligibility criteria. The guidance ensures consistent, statewide compliance for incoming and first-time high school athletes. Read more…