September 19, 2024
DULUTH — Football practices at several area schools look a little different after teams purchased new equipment designed to reduce the risk of head injuries.
Some local teams — like Duluth East, Duluth Denfeld, Proctor, Rock Ridge and Two Harbors — have purchased Guardian Caps to wear during practice. Guardian Caps are large soft-shelled pads worn over helmets to help reduce the risk of concussions.
The devices began showing up on NFL sidelines a few years ago and are now required during training camp practices. In 2024, some players even started wearing them in games.
During play, the soft shell reduces the severity of impact on the interior hard shell of the helmet, which in turn reduces the impact on the helmet’s interior padding and the player’s head. Similar to the soft wall technology implemented by NASCAR in recent years, the Guardian Cap is “a soft shell barrier” between an athlete’s head and any impact, according to the Guardian Sports website.
Mike Crawford, the vice president of sales for Guardian Sports, said the devices reduce impact by up to 33% and harm up to 40%. In addition to providing a softer layer over the hard shell of the helmet, the ability of Guardian Caps to move independently of the helmet further reduces the impact.
Allison Nicolson, the injury prevention coordinator at Essentia Health in Duluth, said a Guardian Cap “mimics your brain.” The brain “floats” in cerebral spinal fluid that helps absorb impacts, then has a hard outer shell in the skull and another softer layer in the skin. The American Academy of Pediatrics has not released a statement on the efficacy of Guardian Caps, but the data from the company is promising.
“This looks phenomenal,” Nicolson said. “I would love to see helmets being sold with this. If you’re going to reduce the impact by 33% — which is what the initial research Guardian Cap has done — and the severity of the blow to athletes, that’s cool.”
The equipment isn’t cheap, however, and the programs have had to rely on donations and fundraising to make the purchase. At $70 each, the Guardian Caps XT models require a significant investment from teams looking to begin using them. However, to purchase the NXT model used by NFL players, the cost goes up to $125.
Duluth East received an anonymous $9,000 donation to purchase 120 of the XT model, while Denfeld did some fundraising and used a donation from the Irving Community Club, a charitable gambling organization based in West Duluth, to pay for 40 Guardian Caps.
Denfeld coach Erik Lofald said they hope to approach the Irving Community Club to purchase 40 more of the caps. That would allow the Hunters’ program to outfit all of their players with Guardian Caps. Until then they are trying to use them as the NFL did initially, focusing on ensuring linemen, linebackers and running backs — players that typically experience the most collisions — during practice.
Denfeld coach Erik Lofald said they hope to approach the Irving Community Club to purchase 40 more of the caps. That would allow the Hunters’ program to outfit all of their players with Guardian Caps. Until then they are trying to use them as the NFL did initially, focusing on ensuring linemen, linebackers and running backs — players that typically experience the most collisions — during practice.
Duluth East coach Blane Tetreault said players are required to wear the Guardian Caps at practice and it’s recommended that players wear them during games, particularly if they already have a history of concussions.
While East is requiring the caps during practice, the Minnesota State High School League does not require them, spokesman Tim Leighton said in an email. Leighton said the MSHSL follows the guidelines established by the National Federation of High School Associations and the caps “are allowed.” The NFHS did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
Even without a ton of research available about the effectiveness of Guardian Caps, it is something worth trying, according to both Nicolson and Tetreault.
“The jury is still out a little bit on them, but it’s hard to believe that a little extra protection is not going to help you in some way,” Tetreault said.
What about everyone else?
While several area schools have already adopted Guardian Caps for practice, others are still looking into a purchase.
Cloquet isn’t using them, but coach Jeff Ojanen has looked into adding them to his practices and noted Guardian Caps are significantly cheaper than what the alternative might be.
“If they truly are safer and help kids with concussions, it allows them to play the game more safely,” Ojanen said. “Even though it’s a decent amount of money, it’s still not where it would be to buy a brand new helmet and things like that.”
What about everyone else?
While several area schools have already adopted Guardian Caps for practice, others are still looking into a purchase.
Cloquet isn’t using them, but coach Jeff Ojanen has looked into adding them to his practices and noted Guardian Caps are significantly cheaper than what the alternative might be.
“If they truly are safer and help kids with concussions, it allows them to play the game more safely,” Ojanen said. “Even though it’s a decent amount of money, it’s still not where it would be to buy a brand new helmet and things like that.”
“You’re talking $500 per kid to get them in high-caliber safety equipment,” he said. “I feel for the schools who just don’t have the resources to make that happen or the fundraising ability.”
Lofald said Denfeld has purchased the Vicis Zero2 helmet for some players that have had concussions, but the price for those helmets is $650.
Mountain Iron-Buhl, the second-ranked IX-Player team in Minnesota, isn’t using them, but coach Dan Zubich said he was “open to them.”
Ojanen also suggested current players might purchase a Guardian Cap for themselves and donate it back to the program when they are done playing.
Q-collars another option
Grand Rapids isn’t using Guardian Caps, but they are using a different technology to protect kids from head injuries.
Coach Greg Spahn said the program received a grant to purchase 22 Q-collars to be used in games and practice by players.
Q-collars protect players’ heads from injury using a different method than Guardian Caps. Instead of a literal soft layer over the football helmet, Q-collars are worn around the neck and place light pressure on the jugular vein.
The pressure causes an increase in the “blood volume in the brain’s venous structures,” the website said. The increased blood in the head acts as additional cushioning and prevents the brain from moving inside the skull during an impact.
At $200, however, Q-collars are nearly triple the cost of a Guardian Cap.
Still, the costs of a Guardian Cap or a Q-Collar are relatively minor when talking about the potential of traumatic brain injury, Nicolson said.
The pressure causes an increase in the “blood volume in the brain’s venous structures,” the website said. The increased blood in the head acts as additional cushioning and prevents the brain from moving inside the skull during an impact.
At $200, however, Q-collars are nearly triple the cost of a Guardian Cap.
Still, the costs of a Guardian Cap or a Q-Collar are relatively minor when talking about the potential of traumatic brain injury, Nicolson said.