UT Lineman Trevor Goosby Runs Heart Health Camp in Austin

For years, Texas offensive tackle Trevor Goosby wondered why conditioning drills seemed harder for him than for his teammates.

The sprint workouts that left other athletes tired often exhausted the future Texas Longhorn much sooner, leading coaches to question whether he simply needed to improve his conditioning.

Instead, doctors discovered the problem was something he had been born with.

Goosby was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect, or ASD, a congenital heart defect that causes abnormal blood flow between the chambers of the heart and can lead to fatigue, shortness of breath and irregular heart rhythms.

At 16 years old, Goosby underwent open-heart surgery to correct the condition.

Now a senior offensive lineman for the Texas Longhorns football, Goosby is using his growing profile to raise awareness and funding for childhood heart disease research.

On Wednesday evening, Goosby hosted a youth football camp at Hyde Park High School in Austin, with proceeds benefiting The Children's Heart Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding research into congenital heart defects.

Goosby said he also plans to personally match the money raised during the event, increasing the total contribution toward research and treatment efforts for children born with heart conditions.

Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defects in the United States, affecting nearly 1 in every 100 newborns, according to the foundation.

Goosby told reporters his experience motivated him to use football as a platform to help others facing similar challenges.

"It just means everything," Goosby said of the opportunity to give back.

He added that raising awareness for conditions such as ASD is important because many families face the diagnosis with little public attention or understanding.

The camp marked another step in Goosby's effort to turn a difficult chapter in his life into support for future generations of children living with congenital heart disease.