A Recommendation Report to Change the Tarleton Football Team Helmets to Xenith Helmets

A Recommendation Report to

Change the Tarleton Football Team Helmets to Xenith Helmets

Prepared For:

Tarleton Football

Prepared By:

Billy Jack Ray

April 17, 2011

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations III

Executive Summary IV

Introduction 5

Background 5

Scope 5

Sources 6

Recommendation 6

Facts and Discussion 6

Concussion Epidemic 6

Benefits of the Xenith helmet 8

Testimonies by current users of the Xenith helmet 10

Conclusion 12

References 13

Index 14

Notes 15

List of Illustrations

Figure 1: Rise in Concussions in NFL (NFL Concussion Report) 3

Figure 2: Effects of concussions (Denver Post) 4

Figure 3: Xenith Adaptive Head Protection (Xenith.com) 5

Figure 4: Xenith Adaptive Head Protection (Xenith.com) 5

Figure 5: Adam Strecker (Columbus Telegram) 7

Figure 6: Zach Lederer (Washington Post) 7

Figure 7: Hank Semler (Dallas Morning News) 8

Executive Summary

There is currently a major crisis in football over the alarming rise in concussions With the size and speed of current football players increasing, the technology and safety of the current helmets are out of date After reading new reports on the long term effects of concussions it is understood that there is no help for reversing the hits that have occurred to players heads But there is hope for preventing future generations of players from going through future dangers That is why I am going to urge the Tarleton Football program to put its players in the safest equipment that is available.

The three areas that this report will cover are the concussion epidemic, benefits of the Xenith helmet, and testimonies of current users of Xenith helmets.

The current concussion epidemic shows an alarming rise in the rate of concussions in football studies show that 70% of college football players have experienced concussion symptoms. Another study has shown a 168% increase in concussions in the past ten years in the National Football League.

The benefits that come from changing to Xenith helmets include an increased effectiveness of the new helmet in reducing the risk of concussions, as well as the long term benefits of the lack of concussions Another benefit is financial With reduced concussions, there will be fewer costs in the treatment of concussions And a final benefit of the Xenith helmet is that with fewer concussions to deal with, student athletes will have the opportunity to have a higher GPA.

It is my recommendation that the Tarleton Football program make the switch from its helmets to Xenith helmets based on the current high rate of concussions in football and the safety features that help prevent concussions that this helmet provides.

Switching the current helmets for the new Xenith helmets will help in the future reduction of concussions by members of the Tarleton Football program This reduction in concussions will benefit the program on different fronts, the long term cost benefit in the reduction of medical cost, and possible higher team GPA without the effects of concussions But the main factor in making this change is the better future quality of life for these players without the long term effects of concussive episodes.

A Recommendation Report to

Change the Tarleton Football Team Helmets to Xenith Helmets

Introduction

The following report is to advise the Tarleton State University Football program to switch from their current outdated helmets to the new revolutionary Xenith helmets The health of the current football player is the forefront of this report But, as this report will show, this change over may also benefit the program by offering a long term monetary saving in the treatment of player concussions.

Background

The reason for writing this report is because of the current crisis in football over the alarming rise in concussions With the size and speed of current football players increasing, the technology and safety standards of the current helmets are out of date After reading new reports on the long term effects of concussions, I know that as a former football player there is no help in reversing the effects of the hits on my head But there is hope for preventing future generations of players from going through the same thing That is why I am going to urge the Tarleton Football program to put its players in the safest equipment that is currently available.

Scope

The scope of this report will focus on three key points: the concussion epidemic in football, the benefits of the Xenith helmets, and testimonies of current users of the Xenith helmets. The concussion epidemic will talk about the alarming rise in the rate of concussions in football In discussing the benefits of the Xenith helmet, this report will talk of the effectiveness of the new helmet in reducing the risk of concussions, as well as the long term benefits of the lack of concussions The testimonies that will be provided will show the usefulness of making this much needed switch to the Xenith helmets.

Sources

In researching the Xenith helmet I ascertained