The high school football program received new helmets at the start of this year’s season. The boosters raised over $9,000 which the high school used to buy 45 helmets. All of the varsity and the majority of the JV have been outfitted with the new helmets.

The brand of helmet is Xenith and they are designed to decrease the amount of injuries, focusing mainly on concussions. They are found to decrease the amount of concussions by 60 percent. Captain Grant Schoen explained, “You can’t help concussions while you’re playing, but I have seen a decrease in the amount [of concussions] this year, so they must be doing their job.”

This year the varsity team has only dealt with 4 concussions. The helmets are equipped with snap buckles, custom face mask clips, face masks, chin cups, high strength chinstraps and a polycarbonate shell. The Xenith helmets are adjustable to the circumference of a player’s head. The helmets contain shock absorbers that adapt compression the magnitude and direction of the collision. This feature prohibits the head to move suddenly on impact, which is the main factor to a concussion.

But are the players satisfied with the new helmets? Senior Nick Hamaty said, “I wish the helmets were more durable, some are chipping with hard hits, but overall I think they helmets are okay.” Schoen stated, “The helmets are a lot more comfortable than last years. I love how the inside has an adjustable and custom fit to my head.”

The football team re-services their helmets every year which is a costly expense. It ranges from approximately $2000 to $3000 for every re-service. The service checks all of the helmets safety features and replaces any damaged parts. President of the Booster Organization Steve Challgren said, “ the servicing of the helmets is much needed. A lot of wear goes into these helmets and we want our kids to be safe.” From this, the coaching staff is able to find the correct number of new helmets the team needs.

Orono High School and surrounding school districts have begun to crack down on concussions in contact sports.

Concussion testing is now available through the athletic trainer at OHS. Symptoms of a concussion include headache, confusion or feeling in a fog, amnesia, dizziness, ringing in the ears, nausea and fatigue, according to research from the Mayo Clinic. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is recommended that you see a trainer or doctor before returning back to sports.

As Xenith Sports stated, “Use your brain, not your head!”
Abbey Challgren is Variety Editor for The Spartan Speaks