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The family of former UCF football player Ereck Plancher filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the UCF Board of Trustees and the UCF Athletics Association last week.
A statement sent out by UCF News and Information Assistant Vice President Grant Heston stated, “While the lawsuit limits what the university can say, what we know to date about the March 18 workout indicates that coaches and staff acted appropriately. Per university policy, UCF will not discuss specifics about the lawsuit.”
On March 18, 2008, Plancher collapsed during a strength and conditioning drill called “mat drills” being supervised by coach George O’Leary and other staff. When police arrived, Plancher was unconscious. Police performed CPR, but Plancher was later pronounced dead at Florida Hospital in East Orlando.
An autopsy report later revealed that Plancher’s death was due to sickle-cell trait agravated by the workout.
During a physical examination in January of 2007, Plancher learned he had sickle cell trait, an inherited blood disorder. When pushed to physical extremes, sickle cell trait can result in fatigue, muscle cramping, difficulty breathing and, if the symptoms are ignored, death.
The National Athletics Training Association recognized sickle cell trait in 2007 and decided players who begin to feel or display symptoms must be given special accommodations.
Last year, the Plancher family’s lawyer sent a letter to the UCF Board of Trustees and to Alex Sink, chief financial officer of the Florida Department of Financial Services, detailing the difficulties the player had during the drill.
The letter, which was included in the lawsuit, stated, “While participating in these drills, Ereck Plancher experienced exhaustion, dizziness, shortness of breath and other signs of extreme fatigue that were ignored by trainers and/or coaches of the University of Central Florida.”
The lawsuit filed last week states that the coaches’ and trainers’ response to Ereck Plancher’s deteriorating condition was to make him stand up and complete the drill.
“As a direct and proximate result of the University of Central Florida’s negligence, Ereck Plancher collapsed and died,” according to the letter. “Please be advised that Enock Plancher, as personal representative of the Estate of Ereck Plancher, intends to pursue all claims and damages entitled to the survivors and the Estate pursuant to the Florida Wrongful Death Act.”
Enock Plancher is Ereck Plancher’s father.
The lawsuit claims players were not provided proper access to water, sufficient rest periods, adequate medical and emergency personnel, adequate medical equipment or proper supervisors during the mat drills.
Because UCF has denied the negligence claims, the Plancher family can now move forward with the lawsuit. Under Florida statute, the Planchers could not file a formal lawsuit until the university either confirmed or denied the negligence claim or six months had passed.
“The health of our student-athletes is our top priority,” the statement sent out by Heston stated. “UCF has made that clear by conducting a comprehensive and independent review of the football program’s training policies and procedures. The results of that review are expected soon.”
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