Florida High School Lacrosse Player Dies After Collapse
from staff reports | updated: 12.08.11 at 1.15 p.m.
A University High (Fla.) senior lacrosse player who died Tuesday after collapsing at practice a day earlier died of a congenital heart abnormality that is usually fatal in the first year of life, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Daniel Valenson, 17, was in his first year at University High in Orlando, Fla., and was participating in voluntary winter conditioning drills Monday when he collapsed. He died Tuesday at an area hospital.
The abnormality involved an artery being connected to the wrong part of the heart, according to the Orange-Osceola Medical Examiner's Office. Unless corrected by surgery, it is usually fatal within the first year of life.
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LaxMagazine.com's original report | 12.07.11 at 10:00
a.m.
A University High (Fla.) senior lacrosse player died Tuesday after collapsing at a practice a day earlier in what the school principal is calling a "traumatic experience" that remains under investigation.
Daniel Valenson, 17, was in his first year at University High in Orlando, Fla., after having moved from New York. He was taking part in voluntary winter conditioning drills with the lacrosse team Monday, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The workouts were run by students but supervised by coaches.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office said Valenson lay down on his back as if he were taking a break during the practice. Coaches checked on him and found him in distress.
It wasn't immediately clear what caused Valenson to collapse, and a cause of death had not been determined, the Associated Press reported.
At a press conference Wednesday morning, school principal Mike Armbruster said the coaches, including head coach Casey McDonald, are trained to respond to such emergencies.
"The coach was trained and ready and did a phenomenal job," Armbruster said. "He faced the greatest nightmare that any coach could face -- a player going down on the field -- and he responded quickly. He responded with 911, followed the directions explicitly and did a tremendous job in trying to keep Dan with us."
According to the Sentinel, Valenson was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. He died at 1:22 p.m. Tuesday.
Lacrosse practices have been postponed indefinitely.
"Because of what the coach has gone through, the coach will be out of school for the remainder of this week," Armbruster said. "To be the last person there trying to save him is a pretty traumatic experience."
Armbruster said at the press conference that Valenson collapsed "early in the conditioning program" and not at the end of a strenuous workout.
More coverage is available at the Orlando Sentinel and WESH (Orlando).
