Heart screening identifies rare condition in Flagler County basketball player

A free sports physical last spring changed the course of Matanzas High School basketball player Jamel Guerrero’s season and may have prevented a far more serious outcome.

Guerrero, a junior guard, attended AdventHealth’s annual sports physicals event for Flagler Schools in May, where the health care system provided free exams and heart screenings to help students prepare for athletic and extracurricular activities. As part of the screening, Guerrero received an electrocardiogram, or ECG, a test that checks the electrical conductivity of the heart.

The test flagged an abnormality, even though Guerrero had never felt symptoms or experienced health problems.

Further testing confirmed Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a rare condition that can cause the heart to beat dangerously fast, particularly during intense physical activity.

“When we got the call, my heart just dropped,” said Eric Guerrero, Jamel’s father. “You go from thinking it’s just another form to sign to realizing something serious is going on.”

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome often goes undetected because many people feel healthy until a sudden episode occurs. In young athletes, those episodes can happen without warning.

Guerrero underwent corrective heart surgery in July. After months of recovery, follow-up testing and medical clearance, he returned to the court this winter.

“I didn’t know what to expect at first,” said Guerrero. “Basketball is such a big part of my life, and there was a lot of uncertainty. Getting cleared to play again was a huge relief.”

In his first game back this season, Guerrero scored 20 points.

His return carried added significance for his family and school. Eric Guerrero is also the head coach of the Matanzas boys’ basketball team and watched his son step away from competition to focus on his health before gradually returning.

“As a coach and a parent, you want your kids on the court,” he said. “But you want them healthy more than anything.”

The heart screening that led to Guerrero’s diagnosis was part of AdventHealth’s partnership with Flagler Schools, which provides free annual sports physicals and heart screenings for students.

During last year’s event, AdventHealth cared for more than 800 Flagler County students and identified 17 who needed follow-up care, including several who required immediate attention. By removing cost and access barriers, the program helps uncover potentially serious heart conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed.

“These screenings are quick, but they give us valuable information,” said Michael Doersch, AdventHealth’s head athletic trainer at Matanzas High School. “They help us spot heart rhythm issues early, before they become emergencies.”

Doersch said many students who receive follow-up care appear outwardly healthy.

“They’re active, they’re strong, and they feel fine,” he said. “That’s exactly why screening matters.”

For Guerrero, early detection meant timely treatment, a safe return to sports and a new perspective.

“I don’t take playing for granted anymore,” he said. “I’m just thankful to be healthy and back with my team.”