There’s a new ultra-safe helmet on the market, and a Ballard youth football team is asking for help to buy them for their players.
The Ballard Jr. Football team, playing in Ballard since 1962, wants to equip their kids with the VICIS Zero1 Youth Football Helmet, which is rated the safest helmet on the market. And, it was designed right here in Seattle.
Julie Peebles Hall, team board member, former cheer coach, and parent of players and cheerleaders tells My Ballard that as a non-profit, the helmets are too expensive — $500 each — to purchase without community help.
The VICIS helmet is on the cutting-edge of helmet safety, and was given the highest-ever safety rating at Virginia Tech’s helmet testing. What makes it different is that it’s designed specifically for young players, as opposed to the “shrink-it” approach by other helmet companies. The helmet has a deformable outer shell and a layered design that is designed to work similarly to a car bumper, slowing impact forces. It’s also lightweight and compact, with a wider field of vision.
“As a Coach, Board Member and now President over the past 5+ years I’ve seen a dramatic shift towards making the game of football safer through better technique, managing/limiting contact in practice and improved equipment,” Coach Andrew Muller writes on Facebook. “Any donation you can make would be sincerely appreciated.”
Their fundraising goal is $50,000 — so far, as of April 18, they’ve raised $8,105.
To learn more about the fundraiser, visit their FundMyTeam page.
Photo from the Ballard Jr. Football team Facebook page
There are parents in Ballard that let their children play tackle football? Yikes.