CEDARVILLE, Ohio, Aug. 27, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Big hits are a
facet of football, but two dreamers tinkering in a garage are on
the verge of making a game-changing impact on one of America's
favorite sports.
Rich Williams, (Cedarville University 2011 alumnus), and
business partner, Justin
Summerville, created the S.A.F.E. (Shock Absorbing Football
Equipment) Clip, which attaches the facemask to a football helmet
in a revolutionary way.
Williams and Summerville came up with a clip that attaches
securely to the helmet, while allowing a slight amount of give on
impact. Inside the clip is a small cube of rubberized plastic
(Sorbothane), that absorbs and abates the G-forces from helmet
collisions and allows the facemask to reset to its normal
position.
In testing, helmets equipped with S.A.F.E. Clips reduced
G-forces between 19% and 35%. Testing was conducted at an
independent laboratory following standards established by the
National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic
Equipment.
High school and youth football teams in Ohio, Michigan, Florida and North
Dakota have purchased the clips ($29.99/pair) for their helmets. Collegiate teams
from the University of Minnesota,
Wayne State University, the
University of Toledo and Texas A&M have also tested the clips on their
helmets.
The S.A.F.E. Clip had a number of prototypes before landing on
the current model. Williams and Summerville have raised
$700,000 in capital to develop and
market their product. They have also secured three patents and
manufactured more than 2,000 clips to date. Beyond football, the
clip has potential application in other sports that use helmets,
including hockey. The inventors have been in touch with the
National Hockey League.
To take the sales and acquisition of their impact-absorbing clip
to the next level, Williams and Summerville will be part of
Cedarville University's inaugural
Entrepreneurship Accelerator program. The program seeks to connect
business start-ups with expertise and funding sources.
"We want startup companies like S.A.F.E. Clip to benefit from
our seasoned Entrepreneurs-in-Residence with deep experience in
angel investing, venture capital, serial entrepreneurship and
venture law," said Dick Blanc,
former managing partner of Accenture, LLP, and director of
Cedarville's Entrepreneurship
Accelerator Program.
Located in southwest Ohio,
Cedarville University is a Baptist
institution with 4,193 students. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its
authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs,
and strong graduation and retention rates. Visit
www.cedarville.edu for more information.
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SOURCE Cedarville
University