MOUNT HOLLY, NC – A North Carolina high school says it’s making safety a top priority for football players. Every player on the Mountain Island Charter football team will get a new helmet.
This isn’t just any helmet. Inside the Riddell Insite Smart Helmet are special sensors to track when a player takes a hit to the head and where the contact happened, all in real time.
That data gets tracked online so coaches and trainers can keep an eye on the kids.
Each helmet costs about $400, but school officials say it’s money well spent.
“There’s no price tag on safety for us,” said head coach Robert Washington. “It’s not really big on price tag, it’s about putting our kids in the best situation, making sure they’re safe.”
“It gives us peace of mind knowing that they’re in the best helmet that we can put ’em on,” said athletic director Matt Steger.
Some players on the team had concussions last season, but they hope the new helmets can cut the number down to zero.
Experts say strong blocking and tough tackles can compare to the force of multiple car crashes at one time.
