BARNESVILLE — Shamrock athletes had the opportunity last week to undergo specialized testing designed to diagnose previously undetected cardiovascular issues that could pose a hidden threat as they practice and compete.

Barnesville Exempted Village School District Athletic Director Ryan Rosnick said the free testing was available to students age 12 and up over the course of two days.

“We’re happy that all of these athletes are willing to do this,” Rosnick said, adding that while going through the intensive and thorough series of tests wasn’t mandatory, around 60 athletes from seventh through 12th grades signed up to go through the three-stage diagnostic process.

The testing was done by CAPPO Health, based in Boca Raton, Florida, which is the leader in on-site cardiovascular diagnostic testing for athletic programs and physicians, according to its website. The three tests athletes go through during CAPPO’s testing procedure are an electrocardiogram, or EKG, to detect electrical abnormalities; an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart at work and can detect functional and structural abnormalities that the EKG cannot; and vascular ultrasound, which can detect blood clots as well as abnormal blood flow dynamics in the extremities and abdominal vessels to which athletes are prone.

According to Rosnick, the battery of diagnostic tests takes a little over an hour for the students to go through. He said parents should receive results of the testing within a week or two.

“It helps the parents to feel at ease, I think, once they know that their kid has been tested and been through this, because recently in the area we’ve had some kids unfortunately that have suffered some health issues or passed away because of things that have went undetected and unnoticed. When students go through their normal physical and routine check, that’s something that really can’t be caught,” he noted.

Rosnick said he had contacted CAPPO about bringing the program to Barnesville and that he appreciates that the company did so at no charge to the school or community.

Rosnick also said he hopes to bring CAPPO back ahead of the spring sports season, noting that the cardiovascular strain of running can be particularly dangerous for track and field athletes with undiagnosed conditions.