High school football player passes away

Staff Report

Lancaster—A somber mood enveloped the Lancaster Independent School District on Wednesday, Aug. 21, as the district confirmed the death of a student-athlete following a medical emergency tied to heat illness.

Preston Malone, a sophomore at Lancaster Early College High School who played on the junior varsity football team, began experiencing symptoms of a heat-related illness during practice on Monday. Despite the practice being held indoors, Malone reported feeling unwell; the athletic trainers promptly responded. He was placed in a cold tub for rapid cooling and then transported to Children’s Medical Center for further evaluation. 

Tragically, his condition deteriorated. On Wednesday morning, Malone suffered a heart attack and organ failure.

District’s Immediate Actions

In response to this tragedy, Lancaster ISD:

·         Canceled athletic activities for the remainder of the week, including the scheduled Thursday scrimmage against North Forney.

·         Made grief counseling services available across all campuses to support students, families, and staff. 

The district emphasized that its athletic training staff strictly adhered to all UIL and district heat safety measures. These included using indoor facilities, maintaining hydration stations, monitoring real-time heat conditions, and having certified athletic trainers onsite throughout practices. 

Heat Safety and Growing Concerns

UIL guidelines restrict outdoor workouts when the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), a measure accounting for humidity, temperature, and solar radiation, exceeds 92.1 °F. On Monday, Lancaster reached heat index readings as high as 105 °F. 

This tragic event underscores broader concerns over rising heat-related illnesses in youth sports. Nationwide, 2023 recorded 2,325 heat-related deaths, a record high according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. 

*This story was written with the aid of ChatGPT.