When the University of South Carolina opens preseason football practice Friday night, the plan is to have the Gamecocks, including defensive star Jadeveon Clowney, outfitted in Guardian Caps. The padded shells, made of polyurethane fabric, are designed to fit over helmets and reduce impacts to the head.
There's controversy whether the caps violate helmet certification standards. But South Carolina tried 32 of them on linemen in the spring, liked them and bought 75 more to go team-wide for practice, says athletic trainer Clint Haggard.
"I've talked to our team physicians and discussed all that stuff, and I've talked to a bunch of people around the country," says Haggard. "And we're still going to use them. ... It seems like it will help."
Player safety has become the catch phrase for colleges and pro football, with the NCAA and the NFL also facing lawsuits over concussions. Punishment in college football this season for "targeting" -- taking aim, especially at the head or neck, with apparent intent beyond a legal tackle or block -- will include ejection. The NFL is requiring players to wear more pads and will penalize running backs who lead with the crown of their helmets.
Lee Hanson, founder of the firm making the Guardian Cap, says his product reduces head impacts "up to 33%" in lab tests. He gave out the caps them out for testing in 2011, sold about 8,000 in 2012 ($55 individually with team discounts) and anticipates He anticipated about 12,000 being used among youth, high school and college teams across the USA and Canada this year. Thirty-five states have schools and/or leagues using at least 20 Guardian Caps.
Link: http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/2601063
There's controversy whether the caps violate helmet certification standards. But South Carolina tried 32 of them on linemen in the spring, liked them and bought 75 more to go team-wide for practice, says athletic trainer Clint Haggard.
"I've talked to our team physicians and discussed all that stuff, and I've talked to a bunch of people around the country," says Haggard. "And we're still going to use them. ... It seems like it will help."
Player safety has become the catch phrase for colleges and pro football, with the NCAA and the NFL also facing lawsuits over concussions. Punishment in college football this season for "targeting" -- taking aim, especially at the head or neck, with apparent intent beyond a legal tackle or block -- will include ejection. The NFL is requiring players to wear more pads and will penalize running backs who lead with the crown of their helmets.
Lee Hanson, founder of the firm making the Guardian Cap, says his product reduces head impacts "up to 33%" in lab tests. He gave out the caps them out for testing in 2011, sold about 8,000 in 2012 ($55 individually with team discounts) and anticipates He anticipated about 12,000 being used among youth, high school and college teams across the USA and Canada this year. Thirty-five states have schools and/or leagues using at least 20 Guardian Caps.
Link: http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/2601063