Orange County Public Schools issued on Wednesday a statement regarding the tragic loss of Olivier Louis, a 15-year-old Wekiva High School freshman football player who collapsed and died shortly after playing in a practice session on Tuesday.
See full statement below:
“The death of 15-year-old, Wekiva High School freshman football player Olivier Louis is tragic and rare on our district’s playing fields. When parents allow students to sign up for extra-curricular athletics in Orange County, parents place great trust in our coaches and trainers. There are still many questions regarding Olivier’s passing but we do know that this young man was an excellent student who displayed good sportsmanship and was well-liked by all who knew him. We know that Olivier had a physical exam prior to his playing freshman football as mandated by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). We also have great confidence that our athletic coaches and trainers are properly prepared and educated to create a safe environment. In fact, our trainers are certified medical professionals who maintain current CPR/AED certification.
After the recent incident at Apopka High School, where several football players were overcome by heat and treated at the hospital, our athletic trainers attended a special session to reemphasize nutrition and hydration information. Each school’s athletic trainer was given time to meet with all football team members and football staff to remind them of proper nutrition and hydration prior to the start of the following day’s practice. In the case of freshman football players, athletic trainers met with the freshman players prior to the start of their first practice session. Our trainers discussed sufficient water breaks at practice, the importance of eating breakfast and lunch before attending practices, as well avoiding caffeine/energy drinks. This is all in an effort to maintain the safety of our student athletes.
Again, the district mourns the loss of Olivier Louis. Wekiva High School is planning several moments and/or events to memorialize Olivier Louis. The school will plant a tree in his honor and erect a plaque near the tree. Players from Apopka and Wekiva high school football teams will participate in a moment of silence prior to Friday night’s game at Wekiva High School. Wekiva varsity players will wear a black emblem with Olivier’s initials on their helmets at Friday’s game. Olivier’s fellow teammates plan to give his family a football signed with all team members’ names as well as a helmet. Freshman team members have not yet selected their jersey numbers for the season but Olivier’s number will be selected by his fellow team members.”
The exact cause of death of Olivier Louis is awaiting the outcomes of the medical examiner’s report.
When investigating and researching heat related deaths,players are dying where water was plentiful,there was rest breaks,coaches and althletic trainers were present,the players show no visual signs of stress and all had pass physicals.WE MUST REEVALUTE WHAT IS NOT STILL BEING DONE.Learning or understanding how the body produces heat or gains heat that causes HEAT STORAGE is of no vaule unless we ACT to prevent it.Joe Paterno,will tell you his first 10 years coaching college football water was restricted at practice.Today restricting water would be consider a negligent act. Doctors at the time Coach Paterno was restricting water could have told you that when a muscle becomes dehydrated,blood volume drops,cardio output reduces,your MET per min decreases and this causes core temperture to rise but it went on for many years because we failed to act as a TEAM to prevent it.LAW SUITS CA– — USE CHANGE NOT YOUNG MEN DYING.The no 1 reason for Exertional Heat Stroke is high intensity exercise combine with a low MET SCORE not dehydration.When muscle generated heat and/or environmental heat gain accumulates faster than being dissipated,athletes DIE.A MET SCORE is a measured test of the bodys ability to produce heat , deliver ,and utilized oxygen.Players with low MET SCORES have the potential for more heat storage during exercise.As the MET per min improves from proper training the ability to withstand heat stress improves independent of acclimatization and heat adaption.Every player needs to be TESTED so coaches can see who is deficient vs superior .August is always gonna bring heat and humidity that is not going to change.We must ACT on what we can prove that requires CHANGE or more deaths will ocurr that will be call tragic when it is in reality NEGLIGENCE.