Exeter City footballers and staff gained lifesaving knowledge thanks to local charity Jay’s Aim.
As part of their pre-season training, members of the men’s team took part in a CPR session with the Exeter-based charity, which works to reduce the rate of sudden cardiac arrest among young people in the South West through training courses to schools, clubs and businesses.
The charity also raises funds to provide public access defibrillators and cardiac screening. It was established following the unexpected death of Jay Osborne from a fatal cardiac arrest caused by an undiagnosed inherited heart condition when he was just 28 years old.
Around 50 people including players from the first team, Academy and members of staff took part in the training, learning how to use a defibrillator and performing CPR on dummies provided by Jay’s Aim.
Manager Matt Taylor said: “Pre-season training takes many forms, of course there’s the work on the training pitch, but we also aim to include other activities that benefit the players.
“We all know about the high-profile cases of Christian Eriksen, Tom Lockyer and Fabrice Muamba, so to be able to raise awareness amongst our players and provide them with the skills and knowledge of what to do in a critical situation is so important. It's a sobering reminder that this can happen to anyone, at any age, and we want our players and staff to feel confident and prepared if they're ever in that position. A huge thanks to Jay's Aim for delivering such a valuable session."
Dan Osborne, chief executive and co-founder of Jay’s Aim, said: “We were delighted to be invited to Exeter City Football Club to deliver a CPR and defibrillator awareness session to players and staff.
“It was fantastic to see a club that truly recognises the importance of ensuring everyone knows what to do in the event of a cardiac arrest. From manager Matt Taylor to the players and staff, there was a real enthusiasm to learn these vital lifesaving skills.”
Dan added: “We hope Exeter City's commitment to raising awareness inspires other local clubs to do the same and take up our offer of free CPR and defibrillator awareness sessions over the coming season. Every minute counts when someone suffers a cardiac arrest and having more people who know how to respond can save lives.
“As a charity, we work hard to improve survival rates from cardiac arrest and are proud to support the sporting community through a range of initiatives. These include our partnership with Devon FA to train referees, as well as our defibrillator scheme, which enables grassroots clubs to apply for a fully funded portable defibrillator.
“A huge thank you to everyone at Exeter City FC for making us feel so welcome. We had a lot of fun and hope to make this a regular part of pre-season training.”
To find out more about Jay's Aim, please click here.