SAFR Helps Make Tackle Football Safer for Youths and Adolescents

For several decades youth and high school tackle football’s participation have spiraled downward. A reason for this decline is parents’ apprehension about letting their children play football because concussions and head injuries sustained during practices and games could lead to permanent brain injuries. A January 24 2023 U.S. News article documents these findings. Go to https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-01-24/youth-football-participation-declining-amid-safety-concerns for more details.

However, not all adults are ready to throw in the towel. They refused to settle for football becoming a thing of the past. The idea of future generations not playing football altogether was unthinkable.

Certain individuals who love the game have worked on finding ways to reduce football head injuries. A key one is SAFR (Scientifically Advanced Force Reduction) Sports located in Chester Springs, Pa. SAFR Sports was established in July 2021. SAFR manufactures the SAFR Helmet Cover. SAFR’s patented helmet cover has been proven both in the lab and on the field to reduce blunt force trauma. The reduction of

sub-concussive and concussive force makes the player safer today and possibly avoid head health issues in the future.

In a high-school on-field study during the 2024 season in North Carolina with two control groups, the teams wearing SAFR Helmet Covers experienced a 48% reduction in concussions, while the teams wearing helmets alone saw an increase of 34%.

“Football is a great game and teaches many life lessons”, said SAFR CEO, John Zeglinski. Zeglinski, a 1979 Wake Forest University graduate, is in Wake Forest Hall of Fame for football and baseball.

Also championing youth and high school football along with SAFR is the former Philadelphia Eagle quarterback Ron Jaworski. ‘Jaws’ is the SAFR spokesperson for SAFR’s “We Make Football SAFR Campaign” in Philadelphia that is providing SAFR Helmet Covers for over 1500 high school players in the Philadelphia Catholic and Public Leagues. At a recent press conference, Jaworski said: “I looked SAFR’s data, and they have something special. SAFR Helmet Covers make football safer!” I am excited that Philadelphia high schools will be equipped in 2025, and future seasons.”

Explanations of how SAFR reduces concussions and head injuries can be found on its website: www.safrsports.com

According to this website:

SAFR makes football safer by providing helmet covers with Scientifically Advanced Force Reduction (SAFR) technology, which adds an extra layer of protection to football helmets by absorbing and dissipating the energy from impacts. These polyurethane foam covers are designed to reduce concussive and sub-concussive hits, with lab and field studies showing significant reductions in concussion risk, especially to the front, back, and side of the head. SAFR Helmet Covers are approved for both practice and games can be customized to team colors.

How the Covers Work

• Energy Absorption:

The SAFR cover is made from polyurethane foam, which acts like an airbag to absorb and spread out the impact energy from a hit.

• Reduced Impact Acceleration:

By absorbing and dissipating force, the covers reduce the acceleration of the head during impact.

To see results of how youth and high school football programs benefited from SAFR, consult the SAFR website.