Oregon Public Broadcasting

The state epidemiologist has started an investigation into the hospitalization of more than a dozen high school football players in McMinnville. As Kristian Foden-Vencil reports, three of the students had to have surgery as a result of their participation in a so-called "immersion" training camp.

Blood samples have been taken from players who attended the football 'immersion-camp' Sunday, August 15th. It was run by the High School's new coach Jeff Kearin. 

In a public statement, the coach described the session as a series of warm-ups — sprints for time, sit-ups, core exercises and push-ups.

Jeff Kearin: "Some of the students are concerned about the speculation regarding the use of performance enhancing substances. The coaches, I and the administrative staff do not believe that our students knowingly took anything that would cause them harm."

Kearin said school practice was now going well and he is waiting for the rest of the players to return to the team. He declined to answer reporter questions.

Students have talked of temperatures of over 100 degrees and of not being allowed to drink water until they completed their exercises.

The school says water was available.

Charles Webb is the doctor for the Portland State University football team. He says supplements don't have to be illegal to cause problems.

Charles Webb: "A lot of these nutritional drinks, supplements, typically have a stimulant of some sort in them. Most commonly used stimulant is caffeine, which we know has some dehydrating properties as well. When you get dehydrated you don't have the same amount of volume to push the toxins out of the system, as well as the movement of the blood to carry oxygen and nutrients to the muscles themselves. So all of those things have a tendency to make you predisposed to dehydration, renal problem, liver problems, muscular fatigue. They do carry a significant amount of risk."

The school district says one student did  report being given an off-the-shelf protein drink by his parents.

Webb says other exacerbating circumstances in this case may be that players weren't as well conditioned as usual -- they've been on summer vacation.

Players may also have been anxious to prove themselves to a new coach. And in turn, the coach may have wanted to send the message that he intended to get them in shape for the season.

Charles Webb: "I think if you add them all together, nutritional supplements, hydration, lack of preparation, intense coaching, intense desire to be higher, stronger, faster than the other guy, so the athlete continuing to push themselves to get to the next step, was all part of what occurred down in McMinnville."

The Oregon School Activities Association says the illnesses is no mystery.

It says players were hospitalized after two rare but well understood medical conditions -- 'exertational compartment syndrome' and 'exertaintional rhabdomyolysis. In layman terms, that's the swelling of muscles after the sudden onset of intense activity.

Blood work on the students is expected to return this week.

The team's first game is against Gresham's Barlow High on September 3rd. But superintendent Maryalice Russell says they may have to forfiet or ask Barlow to reschedule.