Rosemont, Ill. — October 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Riddell, the official helmet of the National Football League®, is taking an in-season time out to educate coaches, players and parents about how to properly inspect helmets and shoulder pads. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, football is the most popular sport for high school boys with more than a million participants.

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USA Football’s National Youth Football Kickoff is part of the NFL’s Back to Football campaign. Coinciding with the NFL’s Kickoff Weekend, youth teams on more than 2,000 fields will begin their Sept. 10 games with a special red, white and blue commemorative football provided by USA Football without cost, celebrating the season’s return.

Leagues will upload photos and messages from their Saturday games on Facebook and Twitter to be shared with the entire youth football community. All social network messages and a list of participating leagues are found at www.usafootball.com/kickoff.

USA Football is the official youth football development partner of the NFL and each of its 32 teams.

Approximately 3 million children age 6-14 play youth football, placing it among the country’s most popular youth sports.

“For millions of Americans, regardless of our age, the return of football at all levels unites us in an exciting way,” said USA Football Executive Director SCOTT HALLENBECK. “That’s what Saturday is about – celebrating the kids, families and volunteers whose dedication powers this sport and uniting us through fun social networking.”

Based in Indianapolis, USA Football is the sport’s national governing body in the United States. Sixty-two (62) countries spanning six continents possess national federations of sport dedicated solely to football.

About USA Football
USA Football, the sport’s national governing body in the United States, inspires participation, and ensures a positive experience for all youth, high school, and other amateur players. The independent nonprofit hosts more than 80 football training events annually for coaches, players and youth football league commissioners. USA Football is the official youth football development partner of the NFL and its 32 teams and manages U.S. national teams for international competition. Endowed by the NFL and NFL Players Association in 2002 through the NFL Youth Football Fund, USA Football distributes $1 million annually in equipment grants and offers youth league volunteer background check subsidies. Former NFL team executive Carl Peterson is USA Football’s chairman.

CHICAGO – August 1, 2011 – Riddell and the Chicago Bears today announced that the Bears will be the first organization in the National Football League (NFL®) to offer its players Riddell’s new RipKord shoulder pad technology as part of the Bears’ standard equipment package during the 2011 season.
Riddell’s RipKord™ Shoulder Pad, introduced in June, 2011 at the National Athletic Trainer’s Association’s (NATA) 62nd Annual Meeting & Clinical Symposia, is an emergency management technology that is incorporated into the Riddell CPX (Custom Power Extreme) shoulder pads. The new shoulder pad removal system provides more efficient and immediate access to an athlete’s chest and airway in the event of a suspected head, spine or chest injury. The RipKord Shoulder Pad allows athletic trainers and medical professionals to treat severe injuries during the crucial window of time.
“The removal of the shoulder pads and helmet continues to be a critical aspect of treating severe head, neck and chest injuries,” said Tim Bream, Head Athletic Trainer for the Chicago Bears. “Riddell’s RipKord Shoulder pads will not only serve our players better, but also are a key development which will be used by youth athletes across the country giving medical personnel the ability for improved care.”
RipKord was invented by Mike Kordecki, a Physical Therapist and Certified Athletic Trainer who worked Chicago Bears training camps in the 1980s and 90s, after seeing that it took six to 10 individuals to lift a player off a spinal board before they could remove equipment for treatment or evaluation procedures. The removal of shoulder pads with RipKord can now be accomplished by two trained professionals without removing the player from a spinal board. By pulling a single cord, shoulder pads outfitted with RipKord can be quickly and easily removed by two trained professionals without elevating a player.

“Riddell has a history of maintaining the highest levels of protection in its football equipment,” said Dan Arment, President of Riddell Sports. “We were thrilled with the Bears interest in this new technology from its earliest stages through refinement and development of the product. The Bears are leading by example and our goal is that other NFL teams will follow suit.”
For more information on Riddell RipKord visit www.riddell.com/innovation/ripkord.

ABOUT RIDDELL
Founded in 1929, Riddell is a premier designer and developer of protective sports equipment and a recognized leader in helmet technology and innovation. One of Easton-Bell Sports, Inc.’s most well-known brands and the Official Helmet of the NFL®, Riddell is the leading manufacturer of football helmets, shoulder pads and reconditioning services (cleaning, repairing, repainting and recertifying existing equipment).

ABOUT EASTON-BELL SPORTS, INC.
Easton-Bell Sports, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and marketer of branded sports equipment, protective products and related accessories. The company markets and licenses products under such well-known brands as Easton, Bell, Giro, Riddell, and Blackburn. Easton-Bell Sports’ products incorporate leading technology and designs and are used by professional athletes and enthusiasts alike. Headquartered in Van Nuys, Calif., the company has 30 facilities worldwide.

ABOUT CHICAGO BEARS
One of the founding franchises of the National Football League, the Chicago Bears were originally established in 1920 as the Decatur Staleys by legendary player, coach and owner, George Halas. The team moved to Chicago in 1921 and has gone on to win the most games in league history along with nine championships. The Bears 27 Hall of Famers is the most of any team in the NFL. In the community, the Bears strive to be leaders throughout Chicago and its suburbs by supporting initiatives focused on Education, Health and Fitness, Youth Football, and Volunteerism and Civic Involvement.

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Contact:
Christie Burgner Shein
MSLGROUP
(312) 861-5237
christie.shein@mslgroup.com

Scott Hagel
Sr. Dir. Corporate Communications
Chicago Bears
(847) 739-5220
Scott.Hagel@bears.nfl.net

Rosemont, Ill. – June 20, 2011 – Riddell® today unveiled a new shoulder pad technology that could significantly improve the way in which spine and head injuries can be treated on the football field. The Riddell RipKord™ is being featured at the National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA) 62nd Annual Meeting & Clinical Symposia this week in New Orleans. RipKord™ will be offered in Riddell CPX (Custom Power Extreme) shoulder pads this season and will soon be available to players at all levels of football.
“Riddell has a history of maintaining the highest levels of protection in its football equipment,” said Dan Arment, Riddell President. “RipKord’s emergency management technology allows athletic trainers and medical professionals to treat severe injuries during a critical window of time by allowing immediate access to the chest and airways.”
Removal of the shoulder pads and helmet continues to be challenging when treating injuries. Doctors and athletic trainers are often hindered in their efforts to access the injury for x-rays and MRIs or when placing a cervical collar on an injured player.
When dealing with apparent spinal injuries, the removal of shoulder pads with RipKord™ can be accomplished by no more than two trained professionals without removing the player from a spinal board. Current procedures require six to 10 individuals to lift a player off a spinal board even before they can remove equipment for treatment or evaluation procedures. By pulling a single cord, shoulder pads outfitted with RipKord™ can be quickly and easily removed by two trained professionals without elevating a player.
“The RipKord system is designed to provide a number of distinct advantages to athletic trainers and medical professionals when treating players on the field who have encountered head and spinal injuries,” said Mike Kordecki, former Physical Therapist and Certified Athletic Trainer for the Chicago Bears and inventor of RipKord™. “This new shoulder pad removal system allows improved access to an athlete’s chest and airway in the event of a suspected head or neck injury. We believe that shoulder pads manufactured with RipKord™ can significantly improve the ability to evaluate and treat severe injuries during the critical window of time.”
For more information on Riddell RipKord™ visit www.riddell.com/innovation/ripkord.

ABOUT RIDDELL
Founded in 1929, Riddell is a premier designer and developer of protective sports equipment and a recognized leader in helmet technology and innovation. One of Easton-Bell Sports, Inc.’s most well-known brands and the Official Helmet of the NFL®, Riddell is the leading manufacturer of football helmets, shoulder pads and reconditioning services (cleaning, repairing, repainting and recertifying existing equipment).

ABOUT EASTON-BELL SPORTS, INC.
Easton-Bell Sports, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and marketer of branded sports equipment, protective products and related accessories. The company markets and licenses products under such well-known brands as Easton, Bell, Giro, Riddell, and Blackburn. Easton-Bell Sports’ products incorporate leading technology and designs and are used by professional athletes and enthusiasts alike. Headquartered in Van Nuys, Calif., the company has 30 facilities worldwide.

ABOUT MICHAEL KORDECKI, D.P.T., S.C.S., A.T.C.
Michael Kordecki served as Physical Therapist and Athletic Trainer for the Chicago Bears for nine seasons. Today, he works with dozens of younger players from the high school and collegiate ranks, helping shape their futures through thoughtful and progressive rehabilitation techniques. Through his clinic, Praxis Physical Therapy and Human Performance, hundreds of patients have come to depend on his experienced analysis, straightforward counsel, and motivational guidance to successfully complete their courses of therapy or improve skills through his customized human performance programs. He holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy, from Finch University, The Chicago Medical School and is Board Certified as a Clinical Sports Medicine Specialist by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). He is also a Certified Athletic Trainer and member of APTA and NATA (National Athletic Trainers Association).

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Contact:
Christie Burgner Shein
MSL Group
(312) 861-5237
pr@riddellsports.com

“This is a continuation of our practice of encouraging football programs to transition to the most protective helmets available,” said Dan Arment, President, Riddell. “We are very pleased that our work to educate coaches, certified athletic trainers and parents since 2002 has led to the large majority of our customers transitioning their players to the Riddell Revolution® family. We remain committed to using the latest research and technologies to design football helmets with features that lessen the forces from impacts and help reduce the incidence of concussion.”

To take advantage of this trade-in program, please contact your Riddell sales representative at 1-800-275-5338.

ABOUT RIDDELL
Founded in 1929, Riddell is a premier designer and developer of protective sports equipment and a recognized leader in helmet technology and innovation. One of Easton-Bell Sports, Inc.’s most well-known brands and the Official Helmet of the NFL®, Riddell is the leading manufacturer of football helmets, shoulder pads and reconditioning services (cleaning, repairing, repainting and recertifying existing equipment).

ABOUT EASTON-BELL SPORTS, INC.
Easton-Bell Sports, Inc. is a leading designer, developer and marketer of branded sports equipment, protective products and related accessories. The company markets and licenses products under such well-known brands as Easton, Bell,Giro, Riddell, and Blackburn. Easton-Bell Sports’ products incorporate leading technology and designs and are used by professional athletes and enthusiasts alike. Headquartered in Van Nuys, Calif., the company has 30 facilities worldwide.

Download entire press release

Contact:
Christie Burgner Shein
MSLGROUP
(312) 861-5237
christie.shein@mslgroup.com

VIEW Article – “New Helmets Should Be A Hit” in the Los Angeles Times.

VIEW the Riddell 360 helmet.

Contact:
Christie Burgner Shein
MSLGROUP
(312) 861-5237
christie.shein@mslgroup.com

VIEW Article – “The Search for a Safer Helmet” in Technology Review magazine.

VIEW the Riddell 360 helmet.

Contact:
Christie Burgner Shein
MSLGROUP
(312) 861-5237
christie.shein@mslgroup.com