Play With Heart donates AED to Point Break Volleyball Club

Play With Heart Foundation and Response Ready donated an automated external defibrillator to Point Break Volleyball Club in San Diego to improve emergency preparedness for youth athletes and families. The move comes as California youth sports groups prepare for new CPR, AED and cardiac response requirements that take effect in 2027 and 2028.

Why it matters: - Sudden cardiac arrest can strike without warning, including among young athletes who appear healthy. - An AED, CPR-trained adults and a practiced emergency plan can improve the chance of survival in the critical minutes before paramedics arrive. - California youth sports organizations face new cardiac emergency requirements under Assembly Bill 310, known as the Nevaeh Youth Sports Safety Act. - Nonprofit clubs often need more than a device. They also need training, maintenance, documentation and ongoing program support.

What happened: - Play With Heart Foundation donated an automated external defibrillator to Point Break Volleyball Club in San Diego. - Response Ready partnered on the donation and on the broader preparedness effort. - The AED was presented at a ceremony attended by athletes, families and coaches. - The donation is meant to strengthen cardiac emergency readiness for the nonprofit youth volleyball club, which serves families across the San Diego community.

The details: - Point Break Volleyball Club now has added emergency coverage for athletes, coaches, officials, family members and visitors. - Neil Macasadia, a Point Break Volleyball Club board member, said the donation could one day save a life and noted the club’s partnership with Play With Heart Foundation and Response Ready. - Play With Heart co-founder Amy Huang said immediate access to an AED and prepared responders can mean the difference between life and death. - Play With Heart co-founder Ian Dickinson said readiness is about knowing where the AED is, understanding the emergency plan and feeling prepared to act. - Response Ready said effective cardiac emergency response depends on accessible equipment, proper placement, regular inspection and maintenance, trained responders and a clear response plan. - Response Ready supports youth sports organizations with AED selection and placement, cardiac emergency response plans, CPR and AED training, inspection and maintenance procedures, compliance documentation and emergency procedure reinforcement. - The American Heart Association says immediate CPR can double or triple the chance of survival after cardiac arrest. - An AED analyzes heart rhythm and can deliver a shock when appropriate. - Since June 2022, Play With Heart Foundation has run community awareness efforts, supported free heart health screenings, donated AEDs and helped launch high school heart health and preparedness clubs. - Through community partnerships, the foundation has helped provide free electrocardiogram screenings to more than 1,000 young athletes and teenagers. - The foundation works with leagues, schools and athletic programs that may lack access to AEDs, cardiovascular screenings, emergency education and other preparedness resources. - Point Break Volleyball Club is a nonprofit youth volleyball organization focused on competitive volleyball, mentorship and community engagement.

Between the lines: - The donation is part of a wider shift in youth sports safety, where cardiac preparedness is moving from a best practice to a baseline expectation. - For smaller leagues and nonprofits, compliance will likely hinge on building a complete system around the AED, not just buying hardware. - Partnerships between nonprofits, safety groups, schools and athletic programs can help close gaps in training and readiness. - The effort also shows how youth sports groups are being pushed to make emergency preparedness visible to parents and families, not just internal staff.

What's next: - Beginning January 1, 2027, covered youth sports organizations in California must ensure coaches are certified and recertified at least every two years in CPR and AED operation. - Those organizations must also establish a written cardiac emergency response plan by that date. - Beginning January 1, 2028, organizations must ensure athletes have access to an AED during official practices and matches. - AEDs must be maintained and tested according to applicable manufacturer and regulatory requirements. - Youth sports leagues, schools and community groups can work with Response Ready on AED placement, CPR and AED training, emergency planning and ongoing program management. - Community members and organizations can support Play With Heart Foundation’s screening, donation and preparedness mission. - Point Break Volleyball Club is encouraging families, coaches and community members to learn more about sudden cardiac arrest, CPR and AED training and the importance of a practiced emergency plan before an emergency occurs.

The bottom line: - The donation gives Point Break Volleyball Club a new lifesaving tool, but the larger lesson is that real cardiac readiness requires equipment, training and a plan that people can execute under pressure.