Six months after suffering a scary collapse on the field mid-game, Angel City FC defender Savy King has made it her mission to ensure all 16 NWSL teams have proper CPR training. King is partnering with her nonprofit foundation, Savy King of Hearts, the American Heart Association, and the league to provide CPR training.
Before the 2026 NWSL season, every club will get full training from a certified instructor and education on how to use an AED (automatic external defibrillator). Additionally, a representative from each team will serve as a CPR awareness advocate on and off the field.
The announcement, which came during the first NWSL Awards, makes history for professional sports leagues in the United States. The women's soccer league will become the nation's first to have every player, coach, and staff member trained in CPR. According to ESPN, King shared her thoughts on what the monumental move means to her personally.
“It's super important to me to create this initiative. This is a very personal topic for me, especially after what happened this year and having to receive CPR on the pitch,” King said. “Every single locker room and every team and player should know CPR, just in the event that anything can happen at any time.”
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
The 20-year-old was rushed to a local Los Angeles hospital after collapsing in the 74th minute of Angel City's match against the Utah Royals, and the life-saving medical attention she received on the field was credited for saving her life.
“I learned firsthand how fast a cardiac emergency can happen. CPR saved my life,” King added. “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.”
King addressed Angel City's head of medical, Hollier Walusz, and high performance director, Sarah Smith, during Wednesday's award show when the announcement was made, honoring the pair for saving her life.
“I wouldn't be here today without [Smith and Walusz],” she said to 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.”
The NWSL immediately received backlash from players, fans, and the Players Association for making both teams finish the game. After a week of heavy criticism, the league released a long-awaited statement addressing the decision to continue play. King has since made a full recovery after having surgery on a rare congenital heart condition, and she was cleared to return to contact training last week.
