From Courtside to Community: CPR Training with Emory Healthcare and the Atlanta Hawks

If you see someone collapse from a cardiac event, would you know what to do?

Thanks to training with Emory Healthcare and the Atlanta Hawks last weekend, now more than 150 adults and young people are prepared to jump into action. At the Emory Healthcare Courts, where Atlanta Hawks players practice at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex, these Atlanta community members attended a hands-only CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training event.

As the official team healthcare provider for the Hawks, Emory Healthcare care teams are courtside to support players and navigate injuries. Community trainings like this one remind members of the community that they, too, play a role in supporting the health of their family, neighbors and fellow community members.

Destin Hill, MD, sports medicine physician for Emory Healthcare and a team physician for the Atlanta Falcons, opened the session by reminding participants that around 350,000 Americans experience sudden cardiac arrest each year—and emphasized the importance of fast action.

In addition to learning lifesaving skills, the group enjoyed a tour of the Hawks’ practice facility.

Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating, cutting off blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. It can happen with little or no warning—and without quick intervention, it can be fatal within minutes.

“Our goal is to teach members of the community to first recognize a sudden cardiac arrest,” said Dr. Hill, “and then to act quickly and initiate hands-only CPR.”

In addition to demonstrating CPR techniques, Dr. Hill addressed several common misconceptions—especially the idea that mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is always required. Hands-only CPR is just like it sounds—resuscitation using only hands pressed to someone’s chest. According to the American Heart Association, hands-only CPR has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR for cardiac arrest, especially if performed immediately.

“Most people think that you have to give respirations or breaths when you're doing CPR,” he said, “but what we found with recent research is that hands-only CPR is actually more effective.” It’s also simpler for the average person to learn and apply, which is critical as over 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in people’s homes.

Even though it has fewer steps, Dr. Hill reminded attendees that hands-only CPR is physically demanding and requires people to apply a lot of force: “Ribs may break in the process, but saving a life is more important.”

To help participants keep the right pace for chest compressions, a familiar rhythm—"Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees—played throughout the session as an upbeat reference that resonated across generations. There are several songs that make the American Heart Association’s list of approved tempos for hands-only CPR, including recent Super Bowl performer Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" and Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club."

Vanessa Anderson-Goldwire attended the training with her husband and 13-year-old daughter. She shared that she’s always made an effort to stay CPR certified—but that this event was deeply personal.

“We’ve had personal tragedies in our home,” she said. “So, now that my daughter is 13, I thought getting her comfortable and exposed to this could keep her from being apprehensive or stressed if something else were to ever occur.”

Her husband, Franklin, added, “This is a great environment to be able to learn. It’s a relaxed, no-pressure setting.” Participants also had the chance to practice using an AED—often for the first time. An AED is a portable device that delivers an electric shock to help restore a normal heartbeat.

While many are familiar with AEDs in theory, Dr. Hill acknowledged that they can still feel a bit overwhelming to use in the moment.

“AEDs can be intimidating at times,” he said. “However, most have clear verbal instructions that anyone can follow.”

Since the late 1990s, major cities have installed AEDs in airports, casinos, and public buildings. By the early 2000s, schools, sports facilities and police departments followed suit—driven by high-profile cardiac incidents and advocacy by groups like the American Heart Association.

Today, AEDs are a standard part of many athletic programs and fitness centers, supported by expanded legal protections and increased public funding. They are designed for use by everyday people in emergency situations, and they are typically hung on a wall in a main space, near a building’s first aid resources.

Kyle Korver, former NBA All-Star and current Atlanta Hawks assistant general manager, attended the event and applauded the continued partnership between Emory Healthcare and the Hawks—and their efforts to reach the wider community.

Kyle Korver, Atlanta Hawks assistant general manager, addresses community participants

“There’s just so much value for all of us to know how to use hands-only CPR and AED training,” said Korver, who shared that a member of his extended family had experienced a sudden cardiac event. “You never know when you're going to need this. Things always happen when you're not suspecting it, and you never know when you can be helpful.”

He added, “It’s just great to see families here learning this together and being equipped together.”

Emory Healthcare and the Hawks plan to continue hosting helpful, community-centered events like this—something community member Charita Shepherd Cobb is excited about.

“I’m always looking for these emails from the Hawks and Emory,” she said. “I have participated in yoga sessions and health sessions, and I always tell everyone about them!”

This training event was part of the ongoing "One Trained at Every Game" series—an initiative launched by Emory Healthcare and its sports affiliates to empower more individuals with lifesaving skills. The series began in September 2024 with a kickoff event alongside the Atlanta Falcons. We look forward to welcoming even more first-time learners and returning participants at future sessions.