Football…One of America’s favorite pass times.  The parties, the food and the amazing plays. 

I love to watch the game but the brutality of it never ceases to amaze me.  The torture these guys can take is beyond what I can comprehend.  Many times I’m holding my breath as a player goes down, the whistle blows…is he gonna get up?  Then…the relief when he walks off the field and everybody cheers. 

There’s no denying American Football is a violent sport and injuries are inevitable.  Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries are some of the most serious and lasting injuries a player can sustain.  Symptoms like memory loss, depression, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy can plague a player for the rest of their lives.

That’s why choosing your helmet is one of the most important decisions you can make.  As an interested fan, I’m thankful for the increasing concern and focus on helmet safety.  There’s nothing better than seeing your favorite player walk off the field and get back into the game after a horrible crash.

Virginia Technical University is a leader in helmet safety testing and research.  Their well-known STAR Rating System analyzes over 2 million head impacts recorded by high school and collegiate football players using helmet-mounted sensors.  Each helmet is rated for its ability to reduce concussion risk.

As of May 2014, 23 helmets had been evaluated through analyzing more than 2,700 lab tests.  Only 5 of the 23 tested received the 5 Star Rating, including Schutt’s Vengeance VTD and Air XP Pro VTD models, and the Rawlings’ Tachyon (call us at 800-264-4519 to order  yours).

Regardless of which helmet you decide to don this fall, it’s important to always remember that football is inherently dangerous and players in any sport can sustain injuries. Having the proper gear, player awareness on the field, and knowing proper player mechanics are essential. As Stefan Duma,  the Virginia Tech head of biomedical engineering, and project leader says, “There is no concussion-proof helmet“...however, I'm confident that those at Virginia Tech will continue making progress in football helmet safety.  (Read Virginia Tech’s news release.)