Football player, 14, dies after collapsing during practice in Alabama #alabamafootball

A 14-year-old football player in Alabama died Tuesday after collapsing during afternoon practice.

Semaj Wilkins, a freshman at New Brockton High School, suffered a medical emergency early in practice Tuesday afternoon, Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham said.

Wilkins was given CPR on the field and taken to a hospital.

The cause of the teenager’s death was not immediately known. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences will conduct an autopsy and it will likely take several weeks to receive those findings, Woodham said.

“Semaj was a young man who brought joy and inspiration to his peers, teammates, coaches, and faculty members. His loss will be deeply felt by everyone who knew him,” Coffee County Schools Superintendent Kelly Cobb wrote in a statement on Facebook.

New Brockton is a town of about 1,400 people located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Montgomery.