Getting conditioned for the next student athletic season now includes a check on the heart.
The 2026-2027 school year is the first time the state’s new Second Chance Act goes into effect, requiring students to get an ECG heart screening before practicing or competing.
So far this summer, AdventHealth says it has tested over 1,000 athletes at free screening events.
“Providing these services in the community helps families take an important step in protecting their child’s health while making it easier for students to stay active and engaged in the activities they enjoy,” said Dr. Sathya Ramakrishnan, AdventHealth Polk Market's chief medical officer.
Florida is the first state in the country to require students to get screened.
But why?
Recent Florida student athlete deaths sparked the movement to better understand what’s happening with young people’s hearts before hitting the field.
In the last two years, three Florida students died of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: 16-year-old Lucas Osuna in Miami, 20-year-old Denali Smith in Wellington, and 18-year-old Chance Gainer in Port St. Joe.
As a result, the Florida Second Chance Act passed through the Senate and House unanimously last year. Since then, different organizations have been hosting free ECG screenings.
What is HCM?
HCM is a genetic heart disease that thickens the walls of the heart muscle. A thicker wall makes it more difficult for a heart to pump blood. HCM can occur in 1 in 200 or 1 in 500 people. In rare cases, it can cause death, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is the most common cause of cardiac death in athletes younger than 35.
Screenings like ECGs aim to diagnose the issue before it’s too late.
Do you have to get tested? And are there exceptions?
If a student-athlete wants to compete, they have to get tested once before entering into their chosen activity. If the athlete has completed an ECG within two years prior to the 2026-2027 school year, that would meet the requirement.
Even before the law went into effect ahead of this school year, interest in free screenings was high. Last year, between May and July, AdventHealth held free testing events and screened 878 student-athletes in Central Florida, according to the hospital’s records.
This year during the same period, it screened 1,207 students.
While free events are available, SB 1070 requires each school district to pursue public and private partnerships to provide low-cost ECGs for students.
The bill does allow for some exemptions, including: religious reasons, a medical exemption provided by a physician, and if the school district where the student lives was unable to secure low-cost ECGs.
Where you can get a free ECG
The non-profit group Who We Play For is hosting multiple free screening events around Central Florida.
July 24 at Sawgrass Plantation Orlando Master Association
- 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- 1510 Sawgrass Pointe Dr, Orlando
July 25 at East River High
- 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- 650 E River Falcons Way, Orlando
July 25 at Carver Middle School
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- 4500 Columbia St, Orange County
July 25 at Trinity Fitness Beachside
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- 102 Tomahawk Drive, Indian Harbor Beach
July 28 Burns Science & Technology Charter
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- 1060 Ridge Road, Oak Hill
July 28 Viera Charter School
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- 6206 Breslay Drive, Viera
July 30 at Leesburg Christian Prep
- 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- 10516 Treadway School Rd, Leesburg
July 1 at Viera Pediatrics
- 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- 8095 Spyglass Hill Road, Melbourne
August 1 at Oak Ridge High School
- 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- 700 W Oak Ridge Rd, Orlando
