Three cheers aren't enough to salute the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association for a program it will offer to up to 1,000 athletes on May 24 during the state championship track meet.

On that day, the MPSSAA, in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University's Heart Hype Program, will offer free screenings to detect the possibility of the presence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an abnormality that involves the thickening of the walls surrounding the heart. HCM, which tends to afflict younger people, does not commonly show up in the average athlete physical, yet can lead to heart attacks and death if not detected and treated.

The screenings will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hurt Gymnasium at Morgan State, and will involve a weight and blood pressure measurement as well as an echocardiogram. Participants will need to fill out a consent form and a questionnaire before the event. The forms are available at the MPSSAA's Web site.

Getting your kid to this screening may be the most important thing you do for him/her.