Charlotte County Public Schools is rolling out ECG screenings for student-athletes, following the new Second Chance Act (Florida Statute 1006.20) that lawmakers passed in 2025.
Here’s what’s changing: Every student needs an ECG before they join a high school sports team. The district will offer screenings to incoming ninth graders and any current high schoolers who haven’t played a Florida High School Athletic Association sport before. If you’re already on a team, you don’t have to get screened, but the district still recommends it.
Starting in fall 2026, the rules get even stricter. Every ninth grader will need to complete an ECG screening before they can play.
Jack Ham, the district’s athletic director, put it simply: “Our student-athletes trust us every time they compete. Offering ECG screenings is one more way we can protect them and make sure school sports are safe and healthy.”
To make this happen, CCPS partnered with Who We Play For, a nonprofit that specializes in cardiac screenings for young athletes. Families can sign up for screenings on WWPF’s website, with a $20 donation due at registration. Who We Play For will handle most of the screenings throughout the district, and they’ll send results directly to families.
The district will hold screenings from February 24 to 27 across all campuses.
