Students and staff at a Winnipeg private school are mourning the death of a teenage boy who collapsed during a soccer tryout on Wednesday.

The death of a Grade 11 St. John's-Ravenscourt student during a soccer tryout on Wednesday marks the second such tragedy at the Winnipeg private school in a decade. (CBC)

The Grade 11 student at St. John's-Ravenscourt School died despite the efforts of a parent, who is also a doctor, to revive the boy with a defibrillator on the field.

The incident took place during a regular varsity soccer tryout, said Stephen Johnson, St. John's-Ravenscourt's head of school.

"Immediately the coach phoned 911. One of the players and one of the parents on the side, who was a doctor, administered CPR," Johnson told CBC News on Thursday.

"Another player went off to get one of our two defibrillators, and that was applied. Still, the boy did not regain consciousness."

The cause of death has not been determined, and a funeral date has not yet been set.

In a letter to students and parents, Johnson described the boy as a "hard-working soccer player and student" who will be remembered for "his smile, quiet good nature and kind heart.

"We have lost a wonderful friend and he will be missed by everyone," Johnson wrote.

2nd tragedy in recent weeks

Grief counselling was offered to students and staff on Thursday. Members of the school's soccer team have delivered cards and a signed soccer ball to the boy's family, Johnson said.

The teen's death marks the second tragedy at the elite private school in the past few weeks.

On Sept. 21, the driver of a bus that was driving St. John's-Ravenscourt students home from school collapsed behind the wheel.

The bus lost control as a result, hitting another vehicle and veering into the front yard of a nearby house.

No students were injured, but the bus driver later died in hospital.

"Three of the players on the team were also on the bus when the bus driver collapsed, and so they've seen one adult and one student collapse and not recover in a very short time," Johnson said.

"Whether it happens once or it happens twice, it still can be quite traumatic for the community."

In 2004, a St. John's-Ravenscourt student who was playing hockey collapsed on the ice and died.