Angel City FC defender Savy King announced on Wednesday a new partnership with her nonprofit, Savy King of Hearts, which will provide free CPR training to all 16 NWSL teams.
The announcement was made during the first National Women’s Soccer League Awards in San Jose, California.
The initiative, in conjunction with the NWSL and the American Heart Association, will include all NWSL players, coaches and staff, for the 2026 season. It means the NWSL will be the first American professional sports league to have players, coaches and staff from all teams trained in CPR.
«It’s super important to me to create this initiative,» King told ESPN. «This is a very personal topic for me, especially after what happened this year and having to receive CPR on the pitch. Every single locker room and every team and player should know CPR, just in the event that anything can happen at any time.»
Six months ago, 20-year-old King collapsed on the field at BMO Stadium in the 74th minute of the match against the Utah Royals.
Falling to the ground without contact, King was treated on the field for more than 10 minutes. Angel City’s head of medical, Hollie Walusz, performed life-saving CPR to King less than one minute after arriving on the pitch to provide aid, before the defender was transported to the hospital.
King underwent surgery, after doctors discovered a rare congenital heart condition.
«I learned firsthand how fast a cardiac emergency can happen,» King told ESPN. «CPR saved my life. And this initiative is a step forward to making our league safer. Because at the end of the day, there might not always be a trainer or medical professional around to be able to save someone’s life because you never know what could happen.»
About a month ago, King presented the idea of free CPR training to the league.
Honoring the first responders and team training staff who were there to provide life-saving medical care to Savy King and Savannah DeMelo when they experienced medical emergencies on the field 💕 pic.twitter.com/yrZmRriyao
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 19, 2025
Created this summer, King’s nonprofit, Savy King of Hearts, provides CPR awareness, preventive screenings and heart health advocacy.
Alongside the American Heart Association, King’s nonprofit will lead the partnership.
«We’re proud to be the first professional sports league to implement CPR training at this scale by training both those on the field and on the sidelines,» NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said in a statement. «This initiative reflects our commitment to player safety, community impact and leadership in health education.»
Ahead of the 2026 season, every team will be provided CPR training by certified instructors, who will guide participants on the two-step technique recommended by the American Heart Association: calling 911 and pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest. The initiative will also include automatic external defibrillator (AED) education.
The NWSL is also launching a player ambassador program. Led by King, the program will designate one representative from each team who will serve as a CPR awareness advocate on-and-off the pitch.
During Wednesday’s award show, King honored Walusz and Angel City’s high performance director Sarah Smith for saving her life and helping her return to the pitch. This summer, a few months after undergoing surgery, King graduated from cardiac rehab before re-joining Angel City.
Just last week, King was cleared to return to contact training at Angel City’s practice facilities — under the close watch of Smith.
«I wouldn’t be here today without them, [Smith and Walusz],» King told ESPN.
«They are the two people that gave me a second chance at life. And they are the reason why this is even possible. This initiative and partnership are the result of my team and the life-saving CPR and medical treatment that I received.»
