FRUITPORT, Mich. — High school football is off to a running start, with teams in West Michigan kicking off preseason practice this week. And while many teams will make changes to their roster, starting lineup or special plays, one local team is making a big change to their helmets.
This season, Fruitport High School football players will be wearing a new helmet, designed to better protect players from getting a concussion.
The team was refit this week with the VICIS ZERO1 helmets, which will be worn by every Fruitport football player.
VICIS says their engineers and neurosurgeons have developed a "multi-layered, highly-engineered helmet design that mitigates linear and rotational impact forces."
“We feel like what this does is gives a preventative message. I had both my boys played college football. Both my boys had a concussions, so as a dad you look at that and say it’s definitely a part of the game" says Fruitport High School's head football coach Nate Smith.
Fruitport is the first high school team in Michigan to fully convert to the VICIS ZERO1 helmet.
“It was definitely something they want to be a part of. They’re really excited, they love the helmets. They love the way it feels" Smith says.
According to UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, 1 in 5 high-school athletes who play contact sports will suffer a concussion this year. And half of concussions go unreported or undetected.
Check out more back to school content at www.wzzm13.com/backtoschool.
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