OSU Men’s Basketball team gets CPR training

STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) — The Oklahoma State men’s basketball team hit Eddie Sutton Court in the historic Gallagher Iba Arena Wednesday for something a little different than they’re used to. The American Heart Association and other industry professionals partnered up to teach the team how to perform CPR on none other than world restart a heart day.

Everyone knows CPR saves lives, but you have to act in a heartbeat. Wednesday’s training gives the team the tools to hopefully beat the clock in an emergency.

"I wanted to make sure that they feel comfortable in the event that their teammate goes down without a trainer available, that they can save their life,” Elizabeth Watkins with the American Heart Association said.

The training’s importance isn’t lost on anyone either. Especially head coach Steve Lutz, whose wife suffered a heart attack two years go.

"I almost lost one of the most important things in my life,” he said.

Fortunately she survived. So did Deshawn Caldwell, who is a team manager that collapsed due to an enlarged heart muscle after high school basketball practice when he was only 16.

“My coach, luckily he knew CPR at the time, I'm so grateful for it,” he said.

The team took those stories and the training to heart.

"It happens more commonly than we would think, so that was big, that was definitely big for us,” senior player Khalil Brantley said.

It’s big because it’s something that may be needed any time or any where.

"Hopefully they'll be able to be a hero in somebody's life like someone was for mine,” Caldwell said.

For more information on life saving CPR training and techniques, you can visit the American Heart Association website here.