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Innovative material to protect athletes from concussions during contact sports

Posted at 5:37 PM, Aug 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-17 23:59:21-04

Leading brain scientists Thursday said more parents would allow their children to participate in contact sports than years passed despite mounting concussion concerns.

Its just one revelation from a new survey released from Barrows neurological this afternoon.

And while they say there’s been a decline in football participation, tonight they say more parents and coaches are taking the lead in protecting their children from brain injuries.

“I feel like it’s taking a step to protect him from the repetitive hitting,” parent Kelly Keeler said.

Keeler says keeping her kids out of football isn’t an option.

“We love football; grew up in Nebraska,” Keeler said.

But she says that love doesn’t blind her to the reality of the risks — especially because more than 8,600 concussions are diagnosed in youth football players each year.

“A lot of the research is concerning so we look at it again as a balance, I’m not going to put them in a bubble,” said Keeler.

Something she is using is called the "Guardian Cap." A light weight urethane cover that wraps over any size helmet.

“My son says he likes it, he actually feels a difference when he gets hit,” Keeler explained.

And he should, according to the makers, the pad reduces the severity of blows by more than 30 percent.

But according to a new survey from Barrows, getting every youth league on the same page with safety is difficult.

“When it comes to club sports, there is not a governing body which oversees all of them, therefore they have limited policies or absent policies,” said Dr. Javier Cardenas with the Barrow concussion and brain injury center.

But they add that's not stopping parents, coaches and athletes from becoming more aware of the dangers and taking technologies like this from the side lines to the field.

If you're interested in learning more about The Guardian Cap click here.