NEW YORK, USA — Irwine Clare, founder of Team Jamaica Bickle, said the unfortunate passing of 15-year-old Edwin Allen High School student athlete Tanisha Gayle on Friday “underscores the need for more attention to be given to the welfare of our young athletes”.

“I believe that a system needs to be put in place where the medical history of the athletes are documented so that all necessary proactive measures can be implemented, where necessary, to prevent situations like what took place with this young student,” he suggested.

Clare’s comments came Saturday at the 2025 Fundraising Gala of the Northeast United States (US) Alumni and Friends of Godfrey Stewart High School in Queens, where he noted that there might have been underlying issues with the student that could have been addressed if her health history was known.

Gayle, who was a member of her school’s winning team at this year’s Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships, reportedly died after she collapsed during a training session.

The Team Jamaica Bickle boss spoke shortly after his organisation had announced that 26 high schools and sporting organisations across Jamaica are to benefit from the donation of an additional set of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) — the lifesaving device — by Team Jamaica Bickle.

The New York-based non-profit body made the announcement in a press statement that the new set of defibrillators will be presented during a ceremony scheduled for Thursday, September 18, 2025 at the G C Foster College of Physical Education and Sports near Spanish Town in St Catherine. They are to be made available under its Defibrillators in Schools Project.

Presentation of the devices will be followed by sensitisation and CPR training sessions, Team Jamaica Bickle said.

Now in its 11th year, the Defibrillators in Schools Project was launched in 2014 in memory of Cavaughn McKenzie, the St Jago High School athlete who died tragically during an athletic competition in Trinidad and Tobago.

Over 140 defibrillator units have been previously placed in schools and sporting facilities across the island, while hundreds of students and officials have received critical life-saving training under the project.

Team Jamaica Bickle said: “This year’s programme is being made possible through the generous sponsorship of Second Round Foundation, the non-profit which is led by Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks National Basketball Association (NBA) team, along with the steadfast support of partners in the Jamaican Diaspora and the local community.”

Brunson’s paternal grandmother hails from Jamaica.

Apart from the defibrillator machines, a number of first aid kits will also be made available during the September 18 handing over ceremony, according to Irwine Clare Sr, founder and chairman of Team Jamaica Bickle.

He said that approximately US$70,000 is being spent on this year’s project. The amount includes financial awards to schools which were successful in Championship of America races at this year’s staging of the prestigious Penn Relays in Pennsylvania, United States.

Calabar High and Kingston College will be awarded this year’s financial prize in the High Schools for Boys category, while Edwin Allen High, Hydel High and St Jago High will share the financial awards in High School category for girls. G C Foster College of Physical Education and Sports took the award for the College Category.

Karen Wilson, vice-chairman of Team Jamaica Bickle, said that as the pre-eminent organisation in sports philanthropy serving Jamaica and Caribbean athletes — most notably at the annual Penn Relays — Team Jamaica Bickle’s mission extends far beyond the tracks.

“This initiative underscores our holistic approach to athletic welfare, ensuring our ambassadors are supported in every aspect of their journey.”

Among the schools to benefit from this year’s programme are Anchovy High in St James; McGarth High in St Catherine; Titchfield High in Portland; Camperdown High in Kingston; Rusea’s High in Hanover; and Oberlin High in St Andrew.

Chairman of the Bobsleigh and Skeletal Federation Christian Stokes will deliver the keynote address at the ceremony.