KNOXVILLE — Sept. 18 is National Concussion Awareness Day.
With National Concussion Awareness Day at the forefront, Vols Wire takes a look at Guardian Caps worn by Tennessee’s football team.
Guardian Caps are a noticeable part of Tennessee’s practices since Jeremy Pruitt has taken over as the Vols’ head coach.
Guardian Cap is a leader in soft-shell helmet covers that are engineered for impact reduction. It uses padded, soft-shell technology on the outside of the decades old hard-shell football helmet. The product reduces impact up to 33 percent.
The soft-shell cover is used by more than 200 colleges, 1,500-plus high schools and more than 500 youth programs.
Guardian Cap owner and CEO Erin Hanson discussed her vision to help players’ safety throughout football.
“We started this whole project in 2010, so it is a 10-year overnight success story,” Hanson told Vols Wire. “Our whole goal in starting it was really to just help players across the board. We really did not get buy-in from high schools and youth until we started moving it through college.
“Once South Carolina and Clemson used it, it kind of validated the product for high schools.”
The Guardian Cap augments existing helmets to make them more flexible and softer, becoming more effective to manage energy and mitigate repetitive, cumulative blows.
As of 2020, NFL testing has validated the benefit of Guardian Caps and the NFL and NFLPA permit the Guardian Cap to be used by lineman in NFL practices. The Jacksonville Jaguars are currently using Guardian Cap.
Six schools throughout the Southeastern Conference have used Guardian Cap: Arkansas, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
“Coach Pruitt was at the SEC meetings and Jimbo Fisher was praising them,” Tony Plagman of Guardian Cap told Vols Wire. “Coach Fisher used them at Florida State and then brought them with him to Texas A&M.
“It is one thing to hear from a sales guy that says these things are helping, but it is another thing to hear from a coach you know, respect and coached with say they are helping.”
Guardian Cap
- Cooler — Reduces heat up to 15-20 degrees
- One size fits all — Universal fit for all sizes, makes and models (youth-adult)
- Easy on, easy off — Attaches to itself with alteration of the helmet or transfer of liability
- Quiet — Dampens sound waves and vibrations, removing loud “crack” of the helmet
- Slick — Less surface friction than painted helmet shells
- Soft and pliable — Pads compress at point of impact, reducing G-force up to 33 percent
- Independent movement — Four elastic straps allow shifting at impact, redirecting energy
- Preserve helmet — Less wear and tear on helmet; protects paint, decals and flex panels
- Lightweight — Only 7 ounces