NSCA Joins Smart Heart Sports Coalition to Advance Athlete Safety and Emergency Readiness

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) has joined the Smart Heart Sports Coalition (SHSC), a nationwide alliance formed by the National Football League (NFL) in partnership with other major sports organizations and leading patient and health advocacy groups. The Coalition advances evidence-based emergency readiness in school and sport settings to better protect young athletes.

Athlete safety is paramount within the strength and conditioning profession. As the worldwide authority, the NSCA strengthens this commitment by uniting with the Smart Heart Sports Coalition to advance emergency readiness through standards, education, and advocacy.

According to the American Heart Association, as many as 23,000 children under 18 experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) annually in the United States, and 40% occur during athletics — making SCA the leading cause of sudden death among young athletes. Without immediate help, it can be fatal within minutes; immediate CPR can triple the chance of survival.

By joining the Coalition, the NSCA adds its voice to a movement already driving meaningful change. Through coordinated advocacy at federal and state levels, the Smart Heart Sports Coalition has helped secure adoption of all three best practice policies in 29 states — a significant step toward ensuring consistent emergency readiness in athletics nationwide.

The Coalition is advocating for the implementation of three best practice policies to prevent death from Sudden Cardiac Arrest:

1. 1. Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) for each high school athletic venue that are widely distributed, posted, rehearsed, and updated annually;
   2. Clearly marked automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at each athletic venue or within 1–3 minutes of each venue where high school practices or competitions are held; and,
   3. CPR and AED education for coaches.

These recommendations align with the NSCA Strength and Conditioning Professional Standards and Guidelines, which call for venue-specific emergency action plans, CPR/AED certification, and regular emergency rehearsals as part of professional responsibility. NSCA certification and recertification standards also require all certificants to hold a current CPR/AED certification with a hands-on skills performance assessment, ensuring professionals remain prepared to provide life-saving care when every minute counts.

As part of this initiative, the NSCA encourages schools and athletic programs to explore the Coalition’s AEDs for Youth program, which provides discounted access to AEDs, and to share the new awareness video featuring Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. More information and resources are available at smartheartsports.com.

The NSCA calls on strength and conditioning coaches, educators, administrators, and community leaders to adopt these best practices and ensure safer environments for young athletes.

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About the National Strength & Conditioning Association

Founded in 1978, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is an educational nonprofit dedicated to advancing strength and conditioning and sport science professions around the world. The NSCA empowers a community of professionals by disseminating evidence-based knowledge and its practical application through industry-leading certifications, peer-reviewed research journals, career development services, and continuing education. The NSCA community is composed of more than 60,000 certified professionals and members worldwide who further industry standards as researchers, educators, strength and conditioning coaches, performance and sport scientists, personal trainers, tactical professionals, and other related roles.