School system launches probe into player's death
Louisville's school system has launched an investigation into the death of a 15-year-old high school football player who collapsed at a practice last week.
The investigation into Max Gilpin's death during the weekend will focus on what happened while players were running sprints at the end of practice, Jefferson County Public Schools spokeswoman Lauren Roberts said.
Gilpin was a sophomore at Pleasure Ridge Park High School. He collapsed Aug. 20 when the heat index was 94 degrees and had trouble breathing. He died Saturday night at a hospital.
Roberts said the investigation into Gilpin's death would include an interview with a player who was with Gilpin, but that meeting would take place in the days after the funeral.
Roberts also said at least four parents have contacted the school system, echoing complaints similar to those reported Wednesday in The Courier-Journal.
Four people who were at Pleasure Ridge Park High School for a soccer game when a player collapsed during football practice last week say they heard a coach deny players' requests for water.
All four told The Courier-Journal that they were watching the soccer game on an adjacent field, but were closer to the football players and their attention was drawn by the coach's yelling.
"A couple of them asked for water and he went off on them," said Mary Frazier, whose granddaughter was playing soccer. "He said, 'Don't you ask for a water break, I will tell you when you can have a water break.'"
Rhonda Barnett, whose daughter attends PRP, said she had been watching the soccer game for about 10 minutes when she heard one of the football players ask if he could stop to get a drink of water.
"The coach's response was to yell, 'Did I tell you that you need a drink of water? You don't tell me when you need something, you got that? We are the professionals here, we'll tell you when you need a drink or a break or anything else,'" Barnett told the paper.
None of the witnesses knew if the players requesting water included Gilpin. None of the four people saw the entire practice and none could say if the players were given water breaks earlier in the session.
