Youth football league mourns death of teen who collapsed at practice

PITTSBURGH – Members of a Pittsburgh youth football league were in mourning Thursday after a 13-year-old boy collapsed and died while at football practice the night before. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the boy as Jordan C. Duckett.

Authorities responded to a playing field at Chartiers Avenue and Middletown Road around 7:40 p.m. Wednesday after receiving reports of an unresponsive boy on the field.

Duckett had been practicing with a Westside Mustangs Youth Athletic Association team when he collapsed while running off the field, Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Cara Cruz said.

Duckett was pronounced dead at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Lawrenceville. The medical examiner’s office will determine the cause and manner of death, Cruz said.

Team and league officials didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment, but the team said on social media that it would hold an emergency meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Grief counselors were expected to be available.

“The Mustangs Family will come together and wrap our arms around this family who have suffered a significant loss,” the team said in a Facebook post. “We will work toward continuous support for the family and all parties involved.”

All Western Pennsylvania Youth Athletic Association practices and games are canceled this week, according to a statement posted on the association’s Facebook page. The association includes 17 teams in Pittsburgh and surrounding communities.

“WPYAA sends the deepest and sincere condolences to the family of the young man who passed today,” the post said. “To the West Side organization, whatever you need we are here.”

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