����԰��Ƶ

When heat illness strikes during a game, practice or conditioning session, the difference between life and death can be measured in minutes. For the athletic trainers and other practitioners, the stakes are clear. 

Improving how clinicians recognize and respond to a life-threatening heat illness starts with connecting research to real-world practice. That focus brought a cross-section of professionals responsible for athlete safety to Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Ellmer College of Health Sciences at ����԰��Ƶ

The session, “Preventing Sudden Death in Sport and Physical Activity: An Emphasis on Exertional Heat Stroke,” centered on work led by one of the field’s most recognized voices — Douglas Casa, Ph.D., ATC, FACSM, CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut.

Dr. Casa’s research and clinical work focus on exertional heat stroke, hydration and strategies to prevent sudden death during sport and physical activity. As a licensed athletic trainer, he has treated hundreds of cases of exertional heat stroke without a fatality. The mission that drives his work traces back to a moment when he was 16 years old and suffered exertional heat stroke during a 10K race — an experience that shaped the direction of his career.

At ����԰��Ƶ, his message reached beyond the lecture podium.

Professionals from across the region connected with faculty, clinicians and students before moving into a discussion of the science — identifying the leading causes of sudden death in sport and outlining evidence-based practices that help prevent them.

Participants examined how heat acclimatization policies protect athletes, why accurate body temperature assessment matters during exertion and what cooling methods are most effective in an emergency. The discussion also addressed how athletic trainers and clinicians can advocate for stronger safety protocols within their organizations.

But, the learning didn’t stop with slides and statistics. Inside the new Health Sciences Building’s lab spaces, participants practiced rapid cooling techniques used to treat exertional heat stroke, including the cold-water immersion methods widely considered the gold standard in emergency care. 

The hands-on training served as both a refresher and a reminder of the rigorous education and clinical preparation required of athletic trainers and other health professionals.

“I am thrilled to have Dr. Casa present for us at ����԰��Ƶ,” said Samantha Scarneo-Miller, Ph.D., ATC, who teaches athletic training in the Ellmer College of Health Sciences at ����԰��Ƶ, “and having the leading expert in the field not only present, but provide a hands-on learning experience is an incredible opportunity for athletic trainers and other healthcare professionals — including our students — to learn in the most impactful way.” 

Dr. Scarneo-Miller aimed to create a learning environment where experienced clinicians and students could work side by side. In athletic training, knowledge is not static. Best practices evolve as new research emerges, and clinicians must continually sharpen their skills.

For practicing athletic trainers, the training connected directly to their daily responsibilities. For the allied health professionals, the training provided insight into the severity of exertional heat stroke and the best practices to optimize patient outcomes in the prehospital setting.

“I thought it was a great opportunity to connect and collaborate with healthcare professionals across various disciplines in the sports medicine field here in the Hampton Roads region,” said Stephen Petr, MD, CAQSM, assistant professor of Family & Community Medicine at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Eastern Virginia Medical School at ����԰��Ƶ. “Dr. Casa provided an excellent and comprehensive presentation on heat stroke. It was a great privilege to learn more about this topic from one of the experts in the field of heat-related illness.”

For the athletic training students , it was something else entirely — a chance to step into the rhythm of the profession they’re preparing to join.

“Attending the presentation by Dr. Casa gave me the chance to learn directly from professionals who are leading the field,” said Irenia Torre, a student in the Master of Science of Athletic Training (M.S.A.T.) program. “Getting hands-on experience, while applying what we’ve learned in class, made everything feel real and reinforced how critical our role is in emergency care.”

By the time the ice tubs had melted, the conversations lingered and the lesson was clear: best practice implementation can prevent sport-related death.