Knowing when to quit

[ngineer]

Interesting column appeared yesterday by a Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette regarding the death of Aaron O'Neal who died after collapsing during a 'volintary' workout at the U of Missouri. Can be read at:
<post-gazette.com>
Discusses the 'macho' make-up of football players and coaches which makes it hard to 'ease off the gas' when the heat is too much due to being labelled 'weak'.

[blackfordpu]

It usually has nothing to do with being weak. I personally was one of these statistics in high school and it was because of a heart condition that we didnt know that I had. We had lifted and were outside doing feet drills and I fell back on a team mate and then staggered to the trainers office.

It is nothing to take lightly and I encourage all athletes to get a full physical. I was in great shape but it was the undectable that almost got me.

[Coastal89]

Blackford, that brings to mind the story of Tre Rogers(Geore Rogers son) from last year. He was a great HS DB and highly recruited by many. After signing an LOI with South Carolina, a full physical reveiled that he had a birth defect in his spine which could cause total paralysis. The doctors ordered him to give up football.

[blackfordpu]

I was a DB as well. According to my coaches I had a good chance at playing college ball. They even tried to talk my parents into letting me play after the doctor told me to quit.