DARLINGTON (WACH, WPDE, AP) -- Darlington County Coroner J.T. Hardee says 14-year-old Tyquan Xavier Brantley collapsed and died after a morning football practice.
Brantley was a rising ninth grade student at Lamar High School. Public Information Officer Audrey Childers said as Brantley was leaving the football field for the day he collapsed. The coaches called 911 immediately.
"We are heartbroken at this terrible tragedy," said Dr. Rainey Knight, School District Superintendent. "Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to Tyquan's family, classmates, and coaches."
Childers added the football players practiced in helmets but no pads for just over an hour Saturday morning and the players had water at the fields. Students who practice in the summer are given frequent cooling breaks.
Lamar High School Head Coach J.R. Boyd described Brantley as a "great guy and hard worker." Boyd said Brantley had the potential to be a partial varsity player.
The cause of death is still unknown. Hardee is waiting on more test results before an official cause of death can be determined.
Grief counselors will be available for students when practice resumes Monday, and a Facebook page has been set up in his memory.
Officials say taking precautions during outdoor workouts in the heat should be a top priority.
Staying hydrated and cooling down are two ways you can keep safe. But heat safety isn't the only factor that should have a focus.
Last fall, officials say a high school football player died on the field during a preseason game in Chester County.
The coroner said 18-year-old Brian Colvin died from a heart defect that affects the muscle of the heart.
Chester County Deputy Coroner Tommy Williams said the disease thickens part of the heart muscle, making the heart work harder to pump blood. Williams says the condition would not have shown up during a physical examination.
The national organization, A Heart for Sports, works to make sure teens involved in athletics get screened to catch heart problems such as the one Colvin suffered from.
The group works with local hospitals to give free tests.
(WPDE, CarolinaLive.com and The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) -- Authorities are investigating the death of a 14-year-old South Carolina high school football player who collapsed following a morning weekend practice.
Darlington County Coroner J. Todd Hardee said Tyquan Xavier Brantley, a freshman at Lamar High School, died at a hospital late Saturday.
Hardee says tests are being conducted to determine if the death was heat related or from another cause. He said the results would not be known until Tuesday.
The National Weather Service reported the heat Saturday afternoon rose to 101 degrees, a near-record.
Darlington County School District spokeswoman Audrey Childers said it was the team's second day of light practice in helmets but no pads.
She said players were on the field about an hour and got a five-minute water break every 20 minutes.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWACH