High school football player dies after tragic injury suffered in team-building drill
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Tragic news to pass along involving a high school football player in New York.
Joshua Mileto, 16, has died after being struck in the head by the log he and his teammates were carrying as part of a team-building drill. Mileto and his Sachem East High School teammates were participating in an exercise camp at the school before the official start of team training on Monday.
The Associated Press talked with Carlin Schledorn, a Sachem East alumnus who played football at the school and was familiar with the U.S. Navy SEALs inspired drill of carrying the 12-foot long log which has the diameter of a utility pole.
“It’s very big. It’s like a tree, and it’s a challenge for people who weightlift,” Schledorn told the AP. “Five or six people do it at once. I feel horrific for the team and coaches because I know them and they are all great men.”
Mileto was in the 11th grade. No school officials, coaches or teammates commented to the AP at the time the story was published.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
