The Houston Texans and the American Heart Association trained nearly 100 youth sports coaches in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use on May 30 at the Houston Methodist Training Center, marking the start of National CPR Week (June 1–7). The initiative aims to equip coaches with lifesaving skills to respond to sudden cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death among student-athletes.
Coaches from the Texans Showcase League and Spring Branch Memorial Sports Association participated in the hands-on training, learning to recognize cardiac arrest and perform CPR. According to the American Heart Association, more than 90% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital do not survive without immediate CPR. The training is part of the Texans’ commitment to improve bystander CPR and support the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, which aims to double cardiac arrest survival rates by 2030.
The 2026 American Heart Association Statistical Update reveals that more than half of youth under 18 participate in sports, and nearly 40% of sudden cardiac arrests in this age group are sports-related. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. Each participating coach received a CPR Anytime Kit to share training with other coaches, parents, and volunteers, extending skills across youth sports programs. The Texans also donated three AEDs to the F.U.N. Football League, this year’s Texans Showcase League, to bolster emergency response readiness.
“When seconds matter, it is important to have people nearby who are confident and capable of beginning CPR,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “Through our collaboration with the Houston Texans, we’re empowering coaches with the skills to act in a cardiac emergency.” The American Heart Association, the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR and emphasizes that nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests occur at home, making bystander CPR critically important.
Hands-Only CPR, which involves calling 911 and pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest, is effective for teens and adults in the first few minutes of an emergency. The training also supports the Smart Heart Sports Coalition, launched by the NFL in 2023 with the NBA, MLB, MLS, NHL, NCAA, and the American Heart Association, which advocates for states to adopt evidence-based policies to prevent fatal outcomes from cardiac arrest among high school students.
The collaboration highlights the importance of preparedness in youth sports. By training coaches, the Texans and the Heart Association aim to create a network of responders who can act quickly in emergencies, potentially saving lives. For more information on learning Hands-Only CPR, visit www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.
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