As more and more is discovered about brain function and brain injury, the issue of player safety for all sports is on the minds of parents and administrators alike at Cedar Park Christian School. With the financial backing of committed CPCS parents and boosters, the school has addressed the issue of safety for football players by implementing two cutting-edge pieces of equipment. Both the High School and Junior Football programs have begun using Guardian Caps during every practice and the High School Program is involved in a Beta Test of the i1 Biometrics ‘Impact Intelligence System’ (IIS).
Guardian Caps are a soft shell protection wrap that attach to the outside of the football helmet. Statistical evidence seems to suggest that 65% of concussions occur during practices so this implementation of the Guardian Cap protection is strategic and should benefit players in a practical way. The ‘IIS’ system includes a mouth guard with an embedded computer chip worn by 10 CPC Eagle High School players this Fall. The chips send information to a laptop located and monitored on the sideline during practices and games. Impact levels are tracked by the sideline monitor. If the level of impact for a particular player registers above a certain level it is an indication to the coaching staff that normal and proper protocol should be followed to gauge whether a player may have sustained a concussion. The ‘IIS’ system doesn’t diagnose concussions but it is an additional tool at the disposal of coaches and sideline personnel to alert them to a significant impact.
Cedar Park Christian School is proud to pioneer these safety measures in our region of the country. Children are a gift from God and we are doing all we can to protect and provide safety for each child’s whole experience at CPCS.
King 5 Sports visited the team during practice recently and produced the following report: http://www.king5.com/media/cinematic/video/14392956/guardian-caps-prevent-concussions/