Kentucky continues to experience preventable deaths among high school athletes, with three more fatalities reported recently. Despite some incremental changes since a 2020 investigation, the rate of athlete deaths remains consistent with historical data from the 1970s.
Key points
Kentucky has seen three recent high school athlete deaths.
One-fifth of known athlete deaths occurred in the last six years.
The rate of athlete deaths has remained consistent since the 1970s.
Incremental changes have been made since the 2020 investigation.
'Safer Sidelines' gained national recognition for its findings.
Three years after The Courier Journal published "Safer Sidelines," an investigation that shined a light on often-preventable athlete deaths, Kentucky has made incremental changes.
Meanwhile, three more high school athletes died and another suffered potentially irreparable harm.
Not only are athletes still collapsing and dying across the commonwealth, it's happening at a similar rate dating back to the 1970s, with one-fifth of all known high school athlete deaths in Kentucky occurring in just the last six years.
The Courier Journal published Safer Sidelines, an in-depth look into sudden death in high school sports, on April 18, 2023. It has since gained national recognition for shining a light on emergency sports medicine response.
The Courier Journal published Safer Sidelines, an in-depth look into sudden death in high school sports, on April 18, 2023. It has since gained national recognition for shining a light on emergency sports medicine response.
Deaths never investigated
Safer Sidelines highlighted a concept in sports medicine know as the 4Hs.
That refers to the four leading causes of death in athletes: head (trauma), heart (sudden cardiac arrest), hemoglobin (blood) or heat.
A concept in sports medicine know as the 4Hs refers to the four leading causes of death in athletes: head (trauma), heart (sudden cardiac arrest), hemoglobin (blood) or heat.
A concept in sports medicine know as the 4Hs refers to the four leading causes of death in athletes: head (trauma), heart (sudden cardiac arrest), hemoglobin (blood) or heat.
Nobody knows for sure how many athletes have died in the state of Kentucky, or nationally, or who they all were. There is no national public database that includes their names and the circumstances of their deaths.
Q&A
What are the recent statistics on high school athlete deaths in Kentucky?
In the last six years, one-fifth of all known high school athlete deaths in Kentucky have occurred, indicating a troubling trend.
What changes have been made in Kentucky to prevent athlete deaths?
Kentucky has made incremental changes since the 2020 investigation 'Safer Sidelines,' but these have not significantly reduced the rate of athlete fatalities.
How many high school athletes have died in Kentucky recently?
Three high school athletes have died recently, with another suffering potentially irreparable harm.
What was the focus of the 'Safer Sidelines' investigation?
'Safer Sidelines' focused on emergency sports medicine response and highlighted the often-preventable nature of athlete deaths in high school sports.
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Heart in 2022: Knott County Central football player Aaron "Mick" Crawford died from sudden cardiac arrest while helping a neighbor during the historic Eastern Kentucky flooding. (While his death is classified by the state as a "flood victim," because he was an athlete that suffered a cardiac-related event that could have been detected if schools required prevention measures like heart screenings, such as an EKG or echo, he is included in the Deadly Games database.)
Andrew and Alan Dodson after a Pulaski County football game. Alan's last text to Andrew before his spring football scrimmage was the same text he always sent, "Go get 'em."
Andrew and Alan Dodson after a Pulaski County football game. Alan's last text to Andrew before his spring football scrimmage was the same text he always sent, "Go get 'em."
Of those six deaths, five occurred on school property. Yet there is no law that requires a school district to investigate what happened that day around the sidelines.
Rep. Kim Moser, R-Taylor Mill, and Rep. Shane Baker, R-Somerset, are both state legislators with athlete deaths in their districts. During the 2025 General Assembly, they filed a bill that would require the state to investigate deaths or serious physical injuries that occur on school property, including during athletic events.
"Honestly, it’s heartbreaking. A situation like this could happen to anyone’s child," Baker told The Courier Journal after filing the bill. "You never anticipate losing one of your most precious gifts when they suit up and put that uniform on."
The bill never went beyond being assigned to a committee.
The legislators again filed the bill in 2026 — on the final day proposed legislation could be filed. It went nowhere.
Moser reassured parents who have lost athletes that she is committed to working on the bill against next session, pending primary election results.
While these deaths all occurred outside Jefferson County, the Louisville area isn't immune. That bill could have impacted athletes like Trinity High football player Nathan Rader.
On July 31, 2024, the junior offensive lineman collapsed from heat stroke.
To find out what happened that day, his family filed a lawsuit in February 2024 claiming the school and its athletic trainers were negligent in their response that day when they never aggressively cooled Rader, as is required by Kentucky High School Athletic Association policy and state law.
More than 30 minutes after Rader's collapse, his core temperature was still at 107.5 degrees. He may have long-term health complications.
Lawyers representing all parties began to conduct depositions this year, per court records.
One piece of legislation did pass related to athlete health and safety. Kentucky became one of the first five states to pass legislation regarding an Athletic Training Compact. The legislation is akin to bar reciprocity for lawyers practicing in multiple states, except it allows license reciprocity for athletic trainers licensed in one state to practice in other compact-member states without needing additional licenses.
The legislation has also passed in Alabama, Kansas, South Dakota and Virginia, with Nebraska awaiting a governor signature. Six other states — Delaware, Iowa, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio and Oklahoma — also have similar legislation being considered by their legislators, according to the Board of Certification for The Athletic Trainer.
Alysha Buehler, Western High School athletic trainer, demonstrated the use of an AED device during training at Fern Creek High School. The training was part of Jefferson County Public Schools' annual fall clinic, which reviewed topics like mental health, nutrition and first-aid training. July 7, 2023
Alysha Buehler, Western High School athletic trainer, demonstrated the use of an AED device during training at Fern Creek High School. The training was part of Jefferson County Public Schools' annual fall clinic, which reviewed topics like mental health, nutrition and first-aid training. July 7, 2023
Kevin Brown, president of the Kentucky Athletic Trainers' Society, worked to get the legislation passed in a state that borders seven others.
"The AT Compact offers athletic trainers, especially living on the borders of Kentucky-Indiana or Kentucky-Ohio, the opportunity to work in multiple states, which then offers increased athlete safety because it offers a larger pool of athletic trainers to cover games," Brown said. "So games that may have previously gone uncovered in the past due to staffing will now have more access to athletic trainers."
Expanded access to AEDs
Rep. Kim Moser, R-Taylor Mill, center, stood with the Batson and Mangine families after Moser held a press conference to announce she is joining forces on an AED bill (House Bill 331) filed last week by Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo, D-Lexington. Both families suffered the loss of a family member due to sudden death in sport. Feb. 21, 2023
Rep. Kim Moser, R-Taylor Mill, center, stood with the Batson and Mangine families after Moser held a press conference to announce she is joining forces on an AED bill (House Bill 331) filed last week by Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo, D-Lexington. Both families suffered the loss of a family member due to sudden death in sport. Feb. 21, 2023
In 2023, the state legislature passed a law that said AEDs were required in schools "as funds became available."
Since then, schools who applied for funds when they first became available in 2025 could "assess their needs and choose to apply if desired" in 2026, according to Kentucky Department of Education documentation.
Yearly AED landscape analysis surveys have shown that some schools statewide increased the number of AEDs in their district, but the survey only takes into account how many AEDs a district has, not where they're located or if they're accessible to athletic programs after school hours.
It's unclear if the funding for the trust fund was supported by the previous biennial budget. A review of this year's budget and one-time expenditure bills showed no funds for an AED or defibrillator trust fund. Moser did not immediately return a request for clarification on the trust fund's funding.
Despite the increased access, a Somerset mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit in March that claims district employees "failed to render appropriate aid" to her son, James "Wes" Phillippe, after he collapsed March 3, 2025.
"An AED was open and directions were given but the AED was not utilized on Phillippe," the lawsuit states. "From the initial actions of (an employee) to the beginning of CPR, a total of 11 minutes had passed."
EMS arrived at least eight minutes after the call to 911.
Phillippe died. He was 15.
'Athletic trainers ... can save lives'
Two years after reporting Safer Sidelines, The Courier Journal also started a "saves" database, documenting each time an athlete, spectator or even official who experienced a medical emergency received aid and survived. Because of health privacy laws, that database is currently unpublished. But it shows responsive actions — mostly by athletic trainers and other medically-trained personnel, such as paramedics — led to at least 11 saves so far this year nationally, including at least five high school athletes and several of fans and umpires at high school athletic events, including in Kentucky.
West Jessamine High athletic trainer Dean Geary has watched from the sidelines for nearly 40 seasons. On Feb. 19, he ran outside the basketball gym just before tipoff to assist a fan who collapsed, providing CPR.
Legislators spoke of his quick response on the House Floor during discussion of the AT Compact bill.
Rep. Kevin Jackson, R-Bowling Green, said: "Athletic trainers are vital members of the health care team. … Just in the past two weeks here in Kentucky we've had two incidents."
Dean Geary is a local legend in Jessamine County. The athletic trainer has served West Jessamine High athletes for nearly four decades. In 2025, he practiced his chest compressions during an emergency management and response course with other athletic trainers.
Dean Geary is a local legend in Jessamine County. The athletic trainer has served West Jessamine High athletes for nearly four decades. In 2025, he practiced his chest compressions during an emergency management and response course with other athletic trainers.
He spoke of Northcutt's early February death, which the coroner told The Courier Journal was a result of a pulmonary embolism. Autopsy results are still pending. Then Jackson spoke of the save by Geary in Jessamine.
Jackson said: "Athletic trainers on campuses can actually save lives."
Stephanie Kuzydym is an enterprise and investigative sports reporter, with a focus on the health and safety of athletes. Reach her at skuzydym@courier-journal.com or@stephkuzy.
