A 15-year-old Virginia high school student passed away during a break in football practice, prompting a change.org petition.
A 15-year-old Virginia high school football student and football player died on Monday after collapsing during a team practice, according to outlets including USA TODAY.
Hopewell High School sophomore Jayvion Taylor passed away due to a heart attack, his family told local news outlet CBS 6 News Richmond. About 40 minutes into what the team described as light drills during practice, the team took a water break and Taylor collapsed. Two coaches performed CPR while 911 was called, and paramedics transferred him to the hospital.
According to CBS 6, the new athletic training services were contracted to begin on Aug. 12. News viewers had previously emailed CBS 6 stating that the previous athletic trainer had been let go and not yet replaced.
A petition on change.org states that football practice was held during “extreme” weather conditions, with temperatures reaching around 90 degrees with high humidity. The petition claims the air conditioning system “was again broken.”
The petition made three demands: fixing the air conditioner, adjusting the phone policy that requires phones to be locked in pouches, and increasing transparency and communication to parents and guardians.
Taylor’s peers spoke glowingly of the teenager to news outlets.
From classmate Chase Stith: “It didn’t matter who you were. If you were one of the most known people of the school, or if you were somebody who wasn’t talkative, he would try to get to know you and understand you.”
Teammate Orrin Besley: “He was straight positive, like one of the best guys I’ve ever know.”
Trevon Tyler, an offensive lineman at South Lyon East High School, died due to complications with a knee surgery.
Chad Stuckey’s phone rang early Friday morning, which he thought was odd. To get a call from one of his players. On the day after Thanksgiving.
“Hey, Tre, what’s up?” Stuckey said, recognizing the number.
Stuckey is the offensive line coach at South Lyon East, and the call came from the phone of Trevon Tyler, a junior at East who played guard and tackle until a knee injury ended his season.
“There was a somber voice,” Stuckey said. “He said, ‘This is Tre’s older brother. Are you a coach at East?'”
Stuckey said he was.
“And he said, ‘I just wanted to let you know that Tre passed away.’”
Stuckey was stunned. He had just texted with his 6-foot-4, 300-pound lineman a few days earlier after he had surgery on his knee.
And now he was dead? A junior in high school? After knee surgery?
South Lyon East offensive lineman Trevon Tyler holds his block during a game this season. (Photo: Photo courtesy of South Lyon East)
Someone posted the news of Trevon’s death on his social media account. South Lyon East head coach Joe Pesci quickly scheduled a team meeting for any of the players who were still in the area during the Thanksgiving break.
“It was tough,” he said. “The guys start coming in. All you want to do is hug each one of them and tell them that you love them. We hugged every kid on the way in, and then on the way out it was the same thing. You are still kind of numb and don’t know what to do. We just want to make sure we are there for our kids.”
They met in the locker room to cry, and grieve, and tell stories about Trevon.
“We had about 20 guys there, six coaches and my athletic director,” Pesci said. “For about an hour we sat in the locker (room) and talked about the situation about Trevon.
“We just expressed to our guys, ‘We are all hurting. You are going to be hurting for a while. The big thing is, don’t keep it in. Make sure as feelings start to build up, reach out to one of us, to a teammate, a parent, whatever. Just to get it out.’”
A couple of players stood up and shared stories about this massive offensive lineman.
“Zander Desentz, our quarterback, stood up and talked to the guys about how bad it hurts right now, but from here on out, we dedicate everything to Tre,” Pesci said. “And think about everything we are going to do. The offseason. Whether it’s getting up to go to weights. You have no excuse. It was a pretty good message from him.”
Pesci said South Lyon East will honor Trevon with a schoolwide whiteout on Monday.
South Lyon East offensive lineman Trevon Tyler (Photo: Photo courtesy of South Lyon East)
“The administration and crisis team will be on hand to help any student who needs to talk,” he said. “In the community, they put it out there to tie a white ribbon around your tree in your yard for Trevon. I think they have wristbands being brought up for students.”
On the GoFundMe site, donations have been accompanied by emotional tributes from his teammates, classmates and friends.
“Trevon was one of my good friends who impacted many lives and never stopped caring for people.”
“He was a wonderful young man.”
“My daughter Leah was a friend of Trevon and had many classes with him. She said he was a great friend and friends with so many students and loved by everyone!”
“The football team and the South Lyon community will never forget the impact such a bright young man had.”
“As a kid, just the nicest, most fun-loving, caring kid,” Pesci said. “Walked with a pretty big pep in his step. He always said hi to everybody. Everybody loved him. He was a little bit of a jokester. Had this big laugh. Always made you smile. As a player, he was a big body for us. He was getting better every game.”
Trevon started every game on the offensive line and rotated along the defensive line before he was injured.
“When you are that big, it’s tough to get off a block like that,” Pesci said. “He played really well for us for seven games.”
Trevon suffered a torn meniscus Oct. 4 in a game against Milford.
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“He had surgery maybe three or 3½ weeks ago to have that fixed,” Pesci said. “That surgery went really well. They fixed everything up. He had been doing physical therapy with our trainer at the school.
“I guess he had to go back in, to get something cleaned up, a week ago last Monday. They said that went well. They took care of everything. Everybody went on break. He was in good spirits. I guess, Thursday night, maybe late, he developed a blood clot. And Friday morning, we were told he developed a blood clot, which led to a heart attack, and he passed away Friday morning.
“It’s somewhat mind-boggling that it could happen.”
Stuckey said he believes Trevon would have played college football.
“I think he could have played at the next level, I don’t know at what division,” he said. “But he was an athletic kid, good feet. Hardworking kid.”
Stuckey said Trevon embodied the characteristics preached at the school.
“We have a saying at East,” he said. “It’s called Be EAST. We tell the kids, ‘Be Engaged, Be Accountable, Be Selfless and Be Tough.’”
Now they are working on how to honor Trevon, including the team’s slogan.
“When we break a huddle, we chant, ‘We are?’ And everybody goes, ‘East!’” Stuckey said. “And then, ‘We will?’ And we put something on there.
“Our slogan for next year is going to be: ‘We are East! We will? Play for Tre!'”
West Washington High School head coach Phillip Bowsman died Monday after suffering a stroke during the team’s football game on Friday.
A Southern Indiana football coach died Monday after suffering a stroke during a playoff game.
Photo: Pat McDonogh/Courier Journal)
Phillip Bowsman, who served as the West Washington School Corp. athletic director as well as West Washington High’s football coach, died Monday afternoon around 1:19 p.m., the school district said.
Bowsman had a stroke due to a blood clot during Friday’s game, Superintendent Keith Nance said.
The coach had undergone brain surgery to relieve pressure from swelling over the weekend, according to the district.
After he passed, the district wrote on Facebook that, “In true Coach Bowsman fashion, he made his final act of giving by being an organ donor.”
Nance wrote in a Facebook post Sunday evening that Bowsman was expected to pass away after being taken off a ventilator on Monday morning.
“I know to many this is devastating news,” Nance wrote. “Due to the grief that many of our staff and students will suffer from we will hold counseling services throughout the day Monday and Tuesday.”
“Phillip is a dear friend of many of our staff, family to some and a father figure to many,” Nance added.
He asked anyone who needs counseling resources to call the school at 812-755-4872.
Bowman was an employee of West Washington School Corp. for 19 years. He was the head football coach of West Washington High for 16 seasons and athletic director for the past seven years.
West Washington lost Friday’s game, which was a state semifinal, against Indianapolis Lutheran High School.
An honor walk is scheduled in Bowsman’s honor at St. Vincent Hospital, where he was when he died, for Nov. 27. More details will be released about the walk at a later time, the district said on Facebook.
Bowsman’s visitation is scheduled for Friday at Mt. Tabor Church, and his funeral will be Saturday. According to the district, his family has asked people to donate to the WW Athletic Department instead of buying flowers or gifts. People can also donate to the Bowsman Family Fund at First Harrison Bank in Salem.
“Please take time show love and support for all members of our community,” the district wrote on Facebook, “because his impact was great and this loss will affect many.”
