Source: Unequal Technologies
FRESNO, CA & GLEN MILLS, PA – AUGUST 17, 2015 – In its ongoing commitment to enhance the safety of its student-athletes with the latest technological innovations, the Fresno Unified School District will require all middle school and high school football players to insert the Unequal GYRO® supplemental head padding in their football helmets this season. The announcement was made by Brett Mar, the Co-Interim Athletic Manager for the Fresno Unified School District.
To ensure availability of the GYRO for all student athletes this season, The Fresno USD has purchased 1,700 of them to be placed into all helmets in advance of contact practices which begin later this month. The school district also purchased 170 Unequal HALOs™ for soccer players. The HALO protective headbands are similar to the one worn during the World Cup by U.S. defender Ali Krieger.
“They can still participate, but most importantly they can be ready for school Monday morning, or the next day after practice. That matters to us tremendously,” said SUFD Superintendent Michael Hanson.”
“Staying on the field is paramount. I think it’s not only going to give kids a chance to show more of what they can do for playing time and college scouts, but just to enjoy the game more,” said Steve Nelson, Head Football Coach at Hoover High School.”
The Unequal GYRO is permitted for use as supplement head padding by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Both the HALO and GYRO are made from Accelleron® and TriDur®, a patented, elastomeric sealed, aramid fabric used by the military and law enforcement that is 5x stronger than steel. TriDur has a virtually unmatched ability to absorb and disperse high impact energy. Barely 4mm thin, the GYRO fits comfortably inside any football helmet and offers serious added protection. Nothing prevents concussions, but in fact, lab and field data show helmets with Unequal predict a significantly lower risk of concussions.
Rob Vito, CEO and inventor of Unequal, says, “Faster, bigger, stronger players in collision sports demand the level of protection Unequal provides. With our experience in developing protective solutions for the armed forces, law enforcement and governmental agencies, it was natural for us to develop technology to help protect athletes. We commend the Fresno Unified School District for taking this step to offer all its student-athletes our supplemental head protection. It’s intense validation of our mission to protect athletes.”
About Unequal Technologies
Unequal’s mission is to protect people so they can perform at their peak in the military, sports, work and life. Its patented fusion of a military-grade composite made of TriDur®, Accelleron® and optional ImpacShield® is engineered for customized, concealed protection. Professionals in the NFL, MLB, NHL and X Games, as well as thousands of collegiate and youth athletes in football, baseball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, action sports, contact sports and other activities, wear Unequal’s protective head and body gear. Unequal’s technology is protected by 100 Worldwide patents with many more pending. Its products have been tested by independent, accredited laboratories, OEM facilities and top universities. An attendee at last year’s White House Concussion Summit, Unequal is recognized as a Forbes’ 100 Most Promising Companies, ESPN’s Top 15 Best Sports Innovations, the No. 1 tech innovation of 2013 by Esquire.com and winner of the DuPont™ Kevlar® Innovation Award. For more information, visit https://unequal.com/
