Union Football Teams Using New High Tech Helmets

Union High School's football team is now using high tech helmets in an effort to keep players safer and possibly even lower the risk of concussions.

It's no secret that football is a hard-hitting sport. But concern over players suffering concussions and brain damage has only grown over the years.

"Some people say that football is under fire and it is, but I think it will be up to football to lead the way in concussion management," said Head Athletic Trainer Dan Newman.

That's why the Union High School athletic department ordered state of the art equipment including “Smart Helmets” that can sense where and how hard players take a hit to the head.

"It's a teaching tool it's like a research tool to make sure we're doing things correctly," said Newman.

The helmets, made by Riddell, have sensors on the front, top, rear, left, and right. It alerts trainers when an impact is above normal for that position and playing level compared to fourteen years’ worth of data.

"If it hits a certain mark depending on the position then it will send an alert to our hand-held device and then I can go check that individual player out," said Newman.

A recent CDC study says 40% of high school athletes who have suffered a concussion, say their coach didn't know the symptoms. Something Head Athletic trainer Dan Newman hopes to prevent. 

"It helps coaches to become better keepers of the game, stewards of the game to make it safer," said Newman.

Newman says he's already using the technology to plan practices and correct the way players hold their heads. He also says they are the first team in the Tulsa area where each player has one of those helmets.