Referee Revived After Collapse at Plymouth Game

A referee collapsed and stopped breathing during a girls' basketball game at Plymouth High School, and was revived after CPR and an AED were used.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Basketball

Referee Revived After Collapse at Plymouth Game

A referee collapsed during a girls' basketball game at Plymouth High School on Tuesday and was unresponsive and not breathing. Responders began CPR immediately and brought an AED within one minute, and the referee was revived.

Why it matters

The incident underscores how quick access to CPR and defibrillators can determine outcomes during sudden cardiac events at school athletic events. It also connects to the 2013 death of Jake West from sudden cardiac arrest at football practice in LaPorte, which led his mother, Julie West, to advocate for AED accessibility at school sporting events.

Responders had an AED within one minute, and CPR began immediately after the referee stopped breathing. The referee's condition following revival has not been detailed.

The players

Plymouth High School

A public high school in Plymouth where the girls' basketball game took place and where the collapse and rescue occurred.

Julie West

A advocate for AED accessibility at school sporting events, who pushed for the measure known as Jake's Law after the death of her son.

The details

A referee ran across the court to the score table after the collapse, and nurses and a nurse practitioner ran down to help. Capt. John Lampkins, school staff and other first responders performed CPR and used an AED before the referee was revived.

2013: Jake West died of sudden cardiac arrest at football practice in LaPorte.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026: Referee collapsed during a girls' basketball game at Plymouth High School.

Legal Context

The episode follows the framework of Jake's Law, which Julie West championed after her son Jake died of sudden cardiac arrest at football practice in 2013. The rapid AED response at Plymouth shows the access that law sought to guarantee at school sporting events.

The rescue highlights that AEDs at school games can be reached within a minute, a standard families and schools can plan around. Parents and coaches at school sporting events may want to confirm where AEDs are located and who is trained to use them.

The takeaway

Quick access to an AED and immediate CPR made the difference in this game, reinforcing why schools track where defibrillators are kept. Knowing the nearest AED at any athletic event is a simple step that can matter in an emergency.