Texans, Heart Association Train Coaches to Save Young Athletes

HOUSTON - June 1, 2026 - As National CPR Week kicks off, the American Heart Association and the Houston Texans are taking a stand against sudden cardiac arrest in youth sports. Nearly 100 coaches from the Texans Showcase League and Spring Branch Memorial Sports Association gathered at the Houston Methodist Training Center on May 30 for hands-on training in CPR and AED use. This initiative comes at a critical time: according to the American Heart Association, more than 90% of cardiac arrest victims outside a hospital die without immediate CPR, and nearly 40% of sudden cardiac arrests in youth under 18 are sports-related, making it a leading cause of death for student-athletes.

The training is part of the Texans' commitment to improve bystander CPR and support the American Heart Association's goal of doubling the survival rates of cardiac arrest by 2030 through the Nation of Lifesavers™ movement. Each coach received a CPR Anytime Kit to share their skills, and the Texans donated three AEDs to the F.U.N. Football League. Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, emphasized that empowering coaches with confidence and capability in CPR can make the difference when seconds matter.

The American Heart Association, a global leader in resuscitation science, publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR. With nearly 75% of cardiac arrests occurring at home, learning Hands-Only CPR—calling 911 and pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest—is a simple skill that can double or triple survival chances. The Smart Heart Sports Coalition, founded by the NFL and including the NBA, MLB, and the American Heart Association, advocates for evidence-based policies in all 50 states to prevent fatal outcomes among high school athletes. This training in Houston is a direct step toward that goal, ensuring that youth sports coaches are prepared to act in a cardiac emergency.