Hoggatt Sister Seeks Funds to Promote Athlete Safety

The sister of a Reseda High School football player who died after a game this season is soliciting donations for a nonprofit foundation that hopes to increase awareness of student athletic injuries.

Tamika Hoggatt, the 23-year-old sister of Eric Hoggatt, said the foundation will educate parents, students and coaches about the potentially serious consequences of sports injuries.

“We want to help people learn what to look out for--don’t sleep on a head injury; if you feel dizzy or numbness, take yourself out of a game,” she said. “We also want to help parents understand what to do when faced with injuries to their children.”

Eighteen-year-old Eric was found dead in bed the morning after Reseda’s Sept. 12 game against Chatsworth High. The Los Angeles County coroner concluded that Eric, who had complained to teammates of dizziness and tingling in his hands and feet during the game, died as a result of head injuries suffered on the field.

Tamika Hoggatt said initial donations would be used to acquire federal tax-exempt status for the Eric Michael Hoggatt Foundation for All Student Athletes and to meet other start-up expenses. Eventually, she said, the foundation would offer injury-awareness programs, give college scholarships and advocate stronger safety regulations for scholastic athletics.

Donations may be sent to Tamika Hoggatt, c/o Fine & Woliung, Attorneys at Law, 5155 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 210, Hawthorne, CA 90250-6619.