Community Mourns After Death Of Chesco HS Football Player

COATESVILLE, PA — The community is mourning after a high school football player died while warming up for a scrimmage in Chester County Tuesday night.

It's still unclear what caused Ivan James Hicks Jr., 16, a West Catholic Preparatory High School student from Philadelphia, to collapse shortly before a 7 on 7 game at Coatesville High School.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to this young man’s family and to the entire West Catholic High School community," Coatesville Superintendent Tomás Hanna said in a statement. "This is such a tragic loss, and I was so touched by the response of coaches from both teams and school administrators who gathered at the hospital to offer support to the family of this student."

>>Football Player Dies After Collapse In Coatesville Scrimmage

Hicks was taking a water break at around 5:45 p.m. when he collapsed. Two parents who had medical training and were on the scene immediately began performing CPR, and emergency responders were on the scene within minutes, Hanna said. Hicks was taken to Brandywine Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:43 p.m.

His death has left the local football community reeling and looking for answers.

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday, the Chester County Coroner's Office said. The coroner has noted that there was "no sign of external injury" leading to the incident.

Hicks' father, Ivan Hicks Sr., told 6ABC how much his son enjoyed playing.

"He said, 'I love Coach Wood, he's like the best, I can talk to him about anything when it comes to football, his door is always open.' And it was like a home away from home," said Ivan Hicks, Sr.

Other members of the local football community, including Oxford High School head coach Michael means, also responded.

Coatesville canceled all football activities on Wednesday. Both the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Coatesville High School said support services would be available to football players and students.

"Please join us in praying for the happy repose of Ivan's soul and that God may hold and comfort his family at this time of intense sorrow and grief," the Archdiocese said in a statement.

"The Board of the West Catholic Alumni Association extends our deepest condolences to the family of Ivan Hicks, and to every member of the West Catholic Family, on his tragic loss," Fran Crowley, the president of the West Catholic Alumni Association, shared via social media. "We ask all alums to pray for Ivan's family, friends, classmates, and all who mourn his loss."

Hicks was an offensive and defensive lineman who was 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 300 pounds, according to high school sports website MaxPreps.