Parents of son who died of heat stroke at summer football practice push for change

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Zach Polsenberg. Credit: via WINK News.

James and Claudine Polsenberg are demanding change in Florida schools after losing their 16-year-old son, Zach Polsenberg, to heat stroke last June at summer football practice at Riverdale High School.

“We lost our son, and I don’t want another parent to go through the anguish and agony of losing their child,” James said.

Zach’s parents have been pushing to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else. The Florida High School Athletic Association will take a vote this week.

“This is something that’s so preventable with education and having a proper pieces of equipment on the field. We can save lives,” James said. “My son paid the ultimate price because these things were not used.”

James is talking about having cooling tubs and thermometers to measure humidity and true temperatures on the field at every practice and game. Right now they’re just recommendations, but he wants them to be required.

“His core temp was 107 degrees for over an hour,” James said. “If they had brought that down in the first five to ten minutes, the likelihood of him being alive would be well over 95 percent.”

Zach’s father and stepmother have contacted state and federal lawmakers, as well as President Trump as they want to see national change.

The Florida High School Athletic Association will discuss the rules Monday and vote on whether to make them requirements Tuesday.

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