Montel Williams Dead: High School Football Player Dies After Practice

GURDON, Ark. -- An Arkansas high school student has died after collapsing during football practice and officials are trying to determine whether heat was a factor.

Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson identified the student as 15-year-old Montel Williams, a sophomore at Gurdon High School in southwest Arkansas.

Gurdon Superintendent Allen Blackwell said Williams collapsed at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night, just more than an hour into the practice in which players were wearing all their gear, including pads. Watson said he was pronounced dead just before 10 p.m. at Baptist Health Medical Center in Arkadelphia.

An autopsy is planned.

Officials don't yet know if Williams' death was related to the heat. According to the National Weather Service, the temperature in the area was 93 degrees, with a heat index of 110 degrees.

Comments

[Jay Elliott]

11:57 AM on 08/16/2011

sad

[bwdoherty]

11:15 AM on 08/12/2011

I can not comment on this specific case.....but much more needs to be done about two things in football at all levels

1) Players must be properly hydrated before, during, and after practices.....it should be mandatory. Coaches should be mandated to be trained and certified in heat realted distress, and how to keep athletes properly hydrated

2) contact on non game days needs to seriously curtailed to cut down the risk of serious, and repetitive head injuries

[ogbeau4ua]

02:24 AM on 08/12/2011

God bless all family and friends. What a horrible accident. Football teaches us unity and brotherhood. surely this young man's family,friends and football family will rally together at this trying time and support one another. I've seen and known about first hand this type of tragedy: playing ball and coaching for many years.----i realize in the south, state athletic associations give coaches a certain number of days/times that you must practice in or you lose that day.its not to many. i know most all coaches will take this little bit of time and use it to better the team. most all coaches also have a water source close by to keep players hydrated,especially in extreme heat, usually 88f or higher. its common to put a boy in a cool tub of water or in the shower ,if he is showing any of the classic signs of heat exhaustion or stress. I pray that Montel's short life be celebrated by all that knew him in due time and will remind parents,school officials and young men everywhere to take precautions that may be needed. samanne brought up some interesting points in his article. god bless you!

[SamAnne]

05:10 AM on 08/11/2011

Was the heat a factor? Of course it was a factor. Did it cause this young man's death? This is still unknown (however likely).

As a coach (middle school girls basketball), kids' health is top priority - but unfortunately I have to deal with irate parents who believe in winning no matter the cost (I know I am not the only coach to have run-ins with over-zealous parents). But I'd rather deal with a whiny parent than a mourning one.

Example: At practice, an athlete was wheezing & awkwardly running laps. Silly me, I made her sit out. She confided she got hurt at home the night before. I sent her home, told her to get checked out before I'd let her on the court (her mom was a nurse). Turns out she had broken ribs - but the PARENT DEMANDED THAT SHE PLAY. It didn't happen.

We tied for conference. I no longer coach.

Regardless of what caused this young man's death, I feel for the family and for the coach - who, I pray, took every precaution. I hope that negligence was not the case.

[ZMP]

03:46 AM on 08/11/2011

93 F degrees, heat index of 110 F degrees and in full gear...? Someone should be arrested for negligent homicide and shake up this irresponsible sports program. How awful for him and his family, and for his teammates. Arrest the coach or some adult who was there - now!

[himaui]

10:36 AM on 08/11/2011

Agreed. Estupid

[bwdoherty]

11:21 AM on 08/12/2011

its not stupid if coaches are trained in heat related distress, and proper hydration.....lets face it, the best football in this country is played in seriously hot environments, which is probably why they where practicing at night

[whitefairlane]

03:26 AM on 08/11/2011

An invistagation needs to be started to see if there is a connection with energy drinks (Red Bull, Monster, Rock Star, etc,.) being used by these athletes.

[ZMP]

03:47 AM on 08/11/2011

YES.

[whitefairlane]

02:22 PM on 08/12/2011

When I was a Cross Country Coach I would not let my runners drink that stuff.

[RNLani]

02:45 AM on 08/11/2011

Everyone is always quick to blame the heat. I did the same when my son passed out during football practice. It turns out that he has an electrical problem with his heart which was undiagnosed. long QT Syndrome is easily diagnosed through a treadmill stress test and is the cause of deaths in many young athletes who die because of an undiagnosed heart disease. My son can never play football again, but he is alive. We need to mandate treadmill stress testing for young athletes to prevent future deaths. This cannot be diagnosed through a mere sports physical or even an EKG. It can only be diagnosed when the heart is stressed. How many young athletes need to die before we realize the need to test?

[dickn2000b]

02:29 AM on 08/11/2011

It is puzzling to me that there are so many of these cases in recent years. The summer temperatures were just as hot when I was in high school in the 1950's. We worked out in phys ed, playing football and baseball, etc. and never once had such an incident. I was on the football team and, again, no incidents. The only conclusion I can reach is that the kids today are not as adapted to the outdoor environment because they spend much more time indoors in air conditioning than my generation. These occurrences are tragic, but they do winnow out the weak and frail and keep the gene pool healthier.

[inkhosi]

07:48 AM on 08/11/2011

Maybe on YOUR time and where YOU were at there weren't any incidents. I don't, however, think it's safe to assume that these sorts of things simply just never happened in your day.

[dickn2000b]

02:30 AM on 08/13/2011

I don't remember it happening at any high schools in south Florida. I never saw any reports on the national evening news. I'm sure some such incidents happeded, but they had to be few and isolated.

[frank day]

08:52 AM on 08/11/2011

This problem isn't new.

It began in the late 60s with the increased popularity and profitability of football.

Winning became more important than just participating.

[msstrick40]

01:59 AM on 08/11/2011

My prayers and condolence to the family of this young man. I can't imagine what his parents on going through right now..but I hope find strength.

[Eileenla]

01:34 AM on 08/11/2011

Of course heat was a factor. What's wrong with our system that games are more important than the healthyand lived of our young men?

[lilith2]

01:28 AM on 08/11/2011

The coach should be fired and the school should be investigated. It appears in the instance of making young men exercise and practice in such extreme heat in full gear, is indicative of a sadistic personality. Most games take place during the cooler season, so there is no benefit experience wise - in other words - NO EXCUSE!

[bwdoherty]

11:23 AM on 08/12/2011

Thats ridiculous....you have no idea if this young man had any undiagnosed underlying issue that caused his death.....and further if you couldnt practice in weather over 90 degrees, football would be canceled in the south

[gposner29]

01:27 AM on 08/11/2011

This is a tragedy. I believe his TV show was also cancelled. I never realized how young he was.

[Z-RUDE 1]

02:09 AM on 08/11/2011

Too funny gposener 29!!

[sparkybrown7877]

09:24 AM on 08/11/2011

Lol... I thought the same at first!

[warmhrt195]

11:58 PM on 08/10/2011

if we just had the die hard drive of these midget league, jv and high school coaches we could get this government straigtened out. when did sports become so important to endanger a childs life?

[Widespread Panic]

11:24 PM on 08/10/2011

Where I live they have 9 yr olds practicing in 95 degree heat for hours at a time. I think it's ridiculous. It's little kid rec ball for goodness sake but the coaches (and some of the parents) act like its college ball. It's just too hot for these kids (and maybe adults as well) to be in this heat. Folks are dying from heat stroke NOT doing any extraneous activities, so its pretty darn hot. Kid's health comes first and foremost over being the best at some sport.

[BacSi]

04:45 PM on 08/11/2011

It maybe to hot now. But not when I grew up. We played for hours in 95 degree heat.

But in the 1950's we were outside all the time.

No video games, not much TV to speak of, very very little air conditioning in the car or at school or at home. 95 nor 105 stopped us. And the guys that played football did so and we never had a heat issue of a serious nature in my 4 years.

Many kids today would deal with that heat differently.

I had little issue with my own kids practicing in 95 degree heat.

But then they were outside kids, they were well hydrated, and they were playing soccer without heavy equipment.

But I do also understand that most competitive sports have a degree of risk. I always realized that something bad could happen to my kids when they played.

Lucky for us broken legs were the worst of it.

15? So sad.

[et q]

11:12 PM on 08/10/2011

hp tisk tisk,this writer is low

[IndependentAndProud]

12:22 AM on 08/11/2011

Why do you say that?