There is some kind of heart disease that is virtually undetectable - until it happens. Owen Brown [U. MD basketball alum], Hank Gathers [Loyola Marymount Basketball], and Flo Hymen [U.S. Womens Volleyball] all died from it on the court. Happens more frequently to blacks - but a white kid when I was in Jr. High also died from it [again, on the court].
Hank Gathers was particularly tragic since it happened RIGHT BEFORE the NCAA Tournament - and Loyola Marymount had not been in for a long time. Hank was the reason they got there. As a tribute, his teammate shot his first foul shot in each game of the tournament left-handed in tribute [and MADE ALL 3] ...
I remember there was a Spanish La Liga soccer match, a few years ago, a player collapsed on the pitch, he did manage to get up and walk to the locker room, but then collapsed again in the locker room, and died the next day, very sad.
The thing is that is not virtually undetectable. A simple echocardiogram will reveal it in about 10 minutes. It also shows up on an EKG and symptoms often start to present themselves that people ignore. Hank Gathers had symptoms and was being treated. He should have been checked and they would have caught it. I had symptoms that I ignored until it was too late.
Texas has been considering mandatory testing of all high school athletes for this condition (HCM) and requiring defibrillators to be present at all events.
Now that they have determined that this young man died from HCM, I hope there is an increased push to have all athletes tested. I have had both my sons tested as it is a genetic condition.