New helmet guards against concussion

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A high school football team in Austin is taking an extra step to prevent head injuries. Players at Regents private school are some of the first in Texas to wear " Guardian Caps ".  That's the name for a padded layer of protection that fits over their helmets.

The Regents football program has about 130 players that will use the Guardian Caps during practices.  They cost about $60 a piece, and they weigh just a few ounces.

"The first review was in the form of a question, and it was 'Coach, have you seen these things?' said Regents head coach Beck Brydon.  "I agreed with him, like, 'You do look crazy!'"

"It's very awkward-looking and weird, but I think it just gives you a little more cushion with that hit," said senior quarterback Andrew Meynig.

Concussions are notoriously hard to detect.  The American College of Sports Medicine estimates there are 3.8 million concussions a year for athletes from high school to professional levels, and 85-percent of them go undetected.

Scott & White Hospital in Round Rock has the first comprehensive concussion care facility in Central Texas, where a series of brain tests and physical therapy help athletes return to action quickly and safely.

Meantime, Texas public schools under the University Interscholastic League (UIL), with their own set of strict guidelines regarding head injuries, are waiting to see if Guardian Caps are worth the investment.

"If it proves to be the best for students, our public schools will jump out and provide that for our students," said UIL executive director Dr. Charles Breithaupt.  "And, if they have to get booster club money to do it, or some corporate sponsor to step in, we're going to provide the best equipment for our students."

The UIL has adopted a concussion protocol from the National Federation of High Schools Association.