A Florida high school football player has tragically passed away after collapsing during a game on Friday night, school officials have confirmed. This marks the seventh instance of a high school athlete dying under such circumstances.
Speaking to CNN on Saturday, Gulf District Schools Superintendent Jim Norton shared that Chance Gainer, a senior at Port St. Joe High School in Florida’s panhandle, was playing cornerback during an away game at Liberty County High School when he collapsed just before halftime.
“He was an exceptional young man who could easily be a hero,” Norton said. “I considered Chance a friend.”
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Gainer’s passing occurred less than a month after he celebrated his 18th birthday. The beloved athlete was pronounced dead at a local hospital, leaving his parents and siblings to face a future without him, according to Norton.
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Prior to Gainer’s death, the National Federation of State High School Associations reported that six high school student-athletes had died in the past month—four from heart-related issues and two from injuries. An Associated Press report confirmed that Gainer’s death brings that total to seven.
A previous report by CNN noted that at least three high school football players in the U.S. have died since the start of the school year. Among them, Alabama teen Semaj Wilkins passed away on August 13 after a medical emergency during football practice at New Brockton High School, according to CNN affiliate WDHN. On the same day, 16-year-old Caden Tellier suffered a fatal brain injury in his season opener, and 13-year-old Cohen Craddock died after a collision during football practice.
The cause of Gainer’s death has not yet been made public. CNN reported that they have contacted the medical examiner’s office in Pensacola, Florida, for more information.
Norton could not confirm whether Gainer had any pre-existing medical conditions. He explained that Gainer collapsed and became unconscious while walking back to a defensive huddle after a water break.
Recent figures from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission show an increase in youth sports injuries in recent years. While overall injuries from youth football saw a sharp decline from 2013 to 2019, they plateaued in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns and began to rise again in 2021.
Before his untimely death, Gainer had scored two touchdowns that night, contributing to his team’s victory, according to Norton.
Norton also spoke about the profound impact Gainer’s death has had on the tight-knit beachside community of Port St. Joe, which has about 500 students.
“School staff, friends, and community clergy gathered at Port St. Joe High School after the tragedy to support the family, who joined them upon returning to town,” Norton said in a statement.
He also revealed that Gainer had recently visited Vanderbilt University in Nashville and had plans to play football there.
“Academically, he had the grades,” Jim Norton said. “He was incredibly excited about the opportunity to attend Vanderbilt and what it would mean for his future.”
Chance Gainer is survived by his parents, siblings, and his junior high school sweetheart, who is a cheerleader for the football team, Norton added.
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In a statement, Principal Sissy Godwin described Gainer as warm and quiet by nature.
“You may not have heard Chance in a crowd, but you could always see his smile from across the room,” she said.
