BOONE COUNTY, Ky. — A Ryle High School teacher is turning a four-year hobby into a fundraiser aimed at helping protect young athletes.
Ryan Ware, owner of Ware Bear Hat Co., is partnering with the Matthew Mangine Jr. “One Shot” Foundation to raise money during Friday night’s Ryle-Cooper football game, known as the Battle of Union.
Ware created special hats for the rivalry game, with proceeds from sales benefiting the Northern Kentucky-based foundation.
Ware became involved with One Shot after taking one of the organization’s training courses. The foundation’s mission is to educate parents, coaches and athletes about sudden cardiac emergencies and the importance of having and properly executing an Emergency Action Plan.
“I’ve got kids in sports and I couldn’t imagine being in that situation and not being prepared, not knowing where the AEDs were,” Ware said. “It just resonated with me and I felt compelled to somehow help out.”
Ware said the training changed the way he thinks about emergencies involving young athletes, including making him more aware of where automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, are located at athletic facilities.
He said he wanted to use his business to help the foundation spread that message.
The One Shot Foundation was founded by Kim and Matt Mangine Sr. after their son, Matthew Mangine Jr., died following a cardiac event during soccer practice on June 16, 2020.
Matthew was 16 years old.
A soccer player and team captain, Matthew collapsed during practice. An AED was not used or brought to the scene until emergency medical personnel arrived, according to the foundation.
His death prompted his parents to focus on educating schools, coaches, parents and athletes about cardiac emergencies and the importance of emergency preparedness.
The foundation advocates for expanded access to AEDs and education on emergency action plans, as well as heat and cold therapy equipment.
Its message is simple: You have “One Shot” to save a life.
The foundation’s work with Ryle has also grown beyond fundraising.
The school has participated in the foundation’s training, including its “Take 10” program — a 10-minute, hands-only CPR training designed to teach people how to respond during a cardiac emergency.
The foundation is working to train teachers and administrators who can then take the program into their own schools and train others.
Because the training takes about 10 minutes, the organization says it can be repeated and provided to large groups.
Kim Mangine said Ware has become an important part of helping the organization expand its reach.
“Ryan has been amazing throughout this whole process,” Mangine said. “He’s the example of what it takes to help expand this program because we found that one passionate person that truly believes in this program and is taking this and running with it.”
The foundation said its work with Ryle and the Boone County school system represents the first public Boone County Schools Take 10 initiative and an opportunity to expand the training throughout the school system.
The organization said it is willing to work with schools both inside and outside the Tri-State that want to bring the training to their communities.
Ware Bear Hat Co.’s special Battle of Union hats will be sold in connection with Friday night’s Ryle-Cooper game, with proceeds going to the One Shot Foundation.
The fundraiser is part of a larger effort to help the foundation provide training and equipment at no cost to schools and other organizations.
More information about the foundation, its training programs and ways to donate or get involved is available at OneShot.life.
The One Shot Foundation also has a fundraising event planned for Nov. 14 at Anderson Pavilion.
