AUBURNDALE, FL (November 15, 2022)- FYSA is proud to announce a formal partnership with Heart of the Game, a charity established to provide life-saving medical equipment to soccer clubs.

 

The mission of Heart of the Game, established in 2016, is to provide free Automated External Defibrillators (also known as AEDs) and emergency response training (such as CPR) to youth sports clubs, with a focus on youth soccer.

 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (sometimes referred to as a heart attack) occurs in the United States between 350,000 and 400,000 times per year. Of these events, almost 10,000, amazingly, involve children. Children can have an undetected heart abnormality, resulting in a sudden cardiac arrest. Sadly, this type of tragedy often occurs, for the first time, while the child is on an athletic field. In addition, a traumatic blow to the chest from a soccer ball, a lacrosse ball, or a softball can also result in the heart stopping its rhythm.

 

An Automated External Defibrillator, if applied to a shockable rhythm within 3-5 minutes, has a success rate of more than 90%. In combination with the use of CPR, the survival rate is even higher. However, the typical response time for an ambulance is 7-9 minutes, which is unfortunately after this magic 5-minute window has expired.

 

A lifetime soccer player, the founder, Craig Goldenfarb, has witnessed three people have a sudden cardiac arrest on a soccer field. "The soccer field should be a place of joy, not tragedy," says Goldenfarb.

 

Mr. Goldenfarb is honored to be affiliated with FYSA. He says, "Having played soccer all my life in Florida, I am thankful to have a platform like the FYSA to help get AEDs at every soccer field we can."

 

FYSA Executive Director, Joel Dragan, is also honored to have this partnership with Heart of the Game. Joel expressed, "Safety is the top priority for FYSA. Through our partnership with Craig and the Heart of the Game, we will further this priority while saving lives across the state. Though we hope these life-saving AEDs are infrequently used, we are so proud to offer this opportunity through Heart of the Game for them to be free of charge to FYSA affiliates!"

 

Together, FYSA and Heart of the Game can make a difference and save many lives.

 

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Join us on Monday, December 5, 2022, or Tuesday, February 21, 2023, for a virtual presentation to learn more about this exciting program and how your organization can apply. Click the button below to reserve your spot for the applicable meetings. 

 

Presentation #1 December 5, 2022	Presentation #2 February 21, 2023
Register	Register

 

For more information, to donate, sign up for, or sponsor the charity's fundraising golf tournaments, see Heart of the Game's website at www.heartgame.org or email info@heartgame.org.