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Equipment Inventory and Reconditioning Important for Player Protection

Equipment Inventory and Reconditioning Important for Player Protection

By Riddell on June 9, 2010

By Michael Kuebler

George Maczuga of Riddell and USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee provides youth leagues with a set of tips to follow throughout the year to manage their equipment inventory and reconditioning needs.

As the start of the 2010 football season draws near, youth players across the country look forward to that day when equipment is passed out and they walk away with their helmets, pads and uniform ready for the first days of practice.

Football equipment is an important topic for youth leagues and teams that relates to their management as well as the protection of the players. George Maczuga, Football Equipment Expert for USA Football’s Football and Wellness Committee and Director of Sales and Marketing Support at Riddell, shares equipment inventory and reconditioning tips for leagues to follow at different stages year-round:

- When issuing equipment and fitting players before the season, document each piece of equipment given to each player. Record the style, manufacturer and size of helmets and pads. This provides control at the end of the season when equipment is returned.

- Equipment should be cleaned and sanitized following the season for the protection of the players in the future. Proper cleaning products should be compatible with the plastic and material of the equipment so as not to have negative effects.

- An annual reconditioning program should be in place to send equipment to a licensed National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) reconditioner for the inspection and reconditioning process.

- Order replacements for equipment that has been found to be defective during the reconditioning process. Inventory should be kept at 10-15% above the number of players in the league in order to ensure there is an adequate amount and sizes for all players.

- Equipment needs to be stored properly so as to avoid damage and wear during the off-season. When equipment returns after reconditioning, leave it sealed in the boxes. Otherwise, helmets can be stored on racks and walls. Shoulder pads also need to be stored on racks. Do not stack them on the ground with no support or else the pads at the bottom can become damaged.

When it comes to football equipment, helmets are thought of first and foremost, and rightfully so. They protect a critical part of a player’s body and have witnessed great innovation over the years. While helmets are key for protection, they form only one piece of the equipment puzzle though. Pads such as shoulder pads should be included in all of the above inventory and reconditioning steps.

“The most overlooked product to be reconditioned are shoulder pads,” Maczuga said. “It’s probably because of priority … but those should be cleaned annually as well.”

Budget constraints can dramatically affect a league’s ability to recondition its equipment every year, but there are some steps they can take to make it possible. Programs need to prioritize how much they are going to spend on various items. Spending money on helmet decals and stripes or fancy uniforms will look good but might not be the best allocation of league resources if equipment is in need of reconditioning.

“Finances are always really important,” Maczuga recognizes. “I think a lot of times cosmetics will override protection for the athlete. Maybe if you cut back on the cosmetics and the bells and whistles, you’ll have some money set aside to put into your reconditioning budget.”

The cosmetics are usually popular with the kids and are fine, but the protective aspects of equipment must come first. If annual reconditioning is still not feasible, it should be done every other year at the very least.

“The player deserves it,” Maczuga said. “He or she deserves to have a fresh piece of equipment when they start. That doesn’t mean it needs to be a new piece of equipment, but they should be able to walk out thinking ‘Doesn’t this look good, and this is nice.’ It makes the parents happy and gives the player a feeling of pride.”

For more equipment tips visit USA Football’s Equipment Fitting Guide page provided by Riddell for videos and instruction on proper helmet and shoulder pad fitting instruction or Riddell’s Helmet and Shoulder Pad Fitting page.

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

61 Comments
  1. Donald Welch says:
    July 18, 2010 at 2:33 pm

    Hi,
    My name is Donald Welch and I am the league organizer of Lil’ All-Stars football (www.mylilallstar.com)
    Lil’ All-Stars Football is a developmental league of youth ages 5 – 10 years of age. We are a small league but growing every season. One of our biggest cost that our league faces is the cost of equipment.
    We are looking for any help with the cost of equipment and uniforms. If there is any way that you could help with equipment cost.
    Riddell is some of the best equipment that we have used in our league. The Attack helmet is the best helmet that we have used because of it’s light weight.
    Please let me know if there is anyway that Riddell can help.
    Thanks,
    Donald Welch

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      July 25, 2010 at 9:37 am

      Donald,

      Riddell is the official helmet and protective equipment provider of USA Football. We established this relationship in order to help organizations in your exact situation. Riddell offers grant programs through USA Football. You must create an account through them in order to establish equipment grants. You can enroll on their website here: http://www.usafootball.com/grants/

      For any further questions please refer to a USA Football representative. Thank you.

      Reply
  2. RICH GONZALEZ says:
    July 20, 2010 at 2:29 pm

    NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT REPLACING A HELMET LINER(INFLATABLE) FRO A MED YOUTHSPEED

    Reply
  3. sweetnuggetz says:
    August 10, 2010 at 4:22 am

    how do you sign up for reconditioning?

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      August 10, 2010 at 11:56 am

      Please call Inside Sales Monday-Friday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm EST (excluding holidays).

      1.800.275.5338 Ext.5

      They will be able to sign you up based on your quantity and location.

      Thanks

      Reply
  4. Todd Sullivan says:
    October 18, 2010 at 7:35 am

    I own the domain FootballReconditioning.com
    Would Riddell be interested in purchasing this?

    Reply
  5. zerodtkjoe says:
    October 20, 2010 at 2:48 am

    Thanks for the info

    Reply
  6. Josh Mitchell says:
    November 20, 2010 at 10:31 pm

    does riddell sell kickers facemask?

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      December 1, 2010 at 2:27 pm

      We do offer some kickers face masks. Which helmet model are you referring to?

      Reply
      • Anthony Gallman says:
        February 2, 2011 at 4:29 pm

        I too am looking specifically for a kicker’s facemask for adult Revolution helmet. I saw the comment posyed a few months ago. The helmet has the standards skilled player facemask that you would see on a QB or WR. But would like to have a facemask specific to kickers. What’s available (model or parrt number would be helpful).

      • Riddell says:
        February 4, 2011 at 3:15 pm

        We have a kicker mask for the Revolution. It is called G-KICKER and its part number is R74927. You may only purchase it through Inside Sales by calling 800-275-5338 Ext. 5.

      • Anthony Gallman says:
        February 7, 2011 at 1:10 pm

        Is the G-KICKER facemask R74927 NOSCAE certified? (and does it have the NOSCAE symbol on it?

      • Riddell says:
        February 21, 2011 at 5:16 pm

        All Riddell face masks carry the NOCSAE certification.

  7. Tim Payne says:
    January 26, 2011 at 10:42 pm

    Does Ohio State use a standard color from Riddell’s catalog (e.g. “Bay Silver-2720″), or are their helmets painted with a custom mix?

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      January 27, 2011 at 11:59 am

      All NFL and NCAA teams have their own unique colors. By contract we cannot reproduce those for helmets other than those for the actual teams or as a Licensed Collectible available on our website. However, we do offer close alternatives that most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Bay Silver would be the closest color that we offer online. Inside Sales can offer you thousands of additional colors. Call Inside Sales to find the closest color match for Ohio State’s helmets. 800-275-5338 Ext. 5.

      Reply
  8. Danny says:
    February 4, 2011 at 5:16 pm

    Is there a shape difference in the revolution facemask style’s G2EG or G2EG-LW? Or is one lighter than the other? Or what is the difference between the two?

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      February 21, 2011 at 4:50 pm

      Danny,

      The difference is in the weight. The bars are made of tubular steel instead of solid steel. This allows for the same strength but with less material. The lightweight face masks, on average, do have slightly thicker bars as a result.

      Reply
  9. carlos says:
    February 14, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    is there a pricie for painting 2 helmets?

    Reply
  10. Rafael R. says:
    February 16, 2011 at 11:00 pm

    Hi, is there something i can put in my helmet to make it fit if it already doesnt fit?

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      February 21, 2011 at 3:25 pm

      Although we recommend the best helmet is one that was designed to fit your head, there are shims that we have available only through Inside Sales. These shims can be inserted behind the liner to provide a tighter fit. Please call 800-275-5338 Ext. 5.

      Reply
  11. Sean Malloy says:
    February 19, 2011 at 6:18 am

    Is there a special tool needed to undo the bottom bolts on the Revo Speed helmet facemask? I am trying to replace the facemask with a new one. Thanks

    Reply
  12. buckeye boy says:
    February 26, 2011 at 5:43 pm

    Do you have a facemask that looks like this http://arkansasnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/FBC-SUGAR-POSEY-01.jpg but for revolution??

    Reply
  15. Ben Johnson says:
    March 8, 2011 at 3:52 pm

    Hi, I’ve just changed teams and wondered if its possible to buy a new shell for my revolution helmet and if not, what kind of paint would you recommend to use to spray it (its going from black to white). I live in the UK and any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks

    Reply
  16. Kevin says:
    March 15, 2011 at 8:32 pm

    Hey I just went through some head trauma, so I needed a helmet like the revo speed. The thing is, I’m a kicker and would like more vision than what is available on the facemasks that are for sale currently on the website. Are there any kicker facemasks for the revo speed and if so what is the model?

    Reply
  17. Barry says:
    March 19, 2011 at 8:15 pm

    What color silver did the Oakland Raiders use on their 1980′s helmets? can it be bought in spray cans?

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      March 28, 2011 at 9:19 am

      Edward, the black face mask is an old version of the S2EG-LW. The left, white face mask is also an older version of the S2EG-LW while the one on the right is an S2BD-LW. For more information please check out the models we have available online on our web shop.

      Thank you.

      Reply
    • Riddell says:
      May 17, 2011 at 6:02 pm

      This is an S2EG-SW-SP specialty model face mask. It is only available through Inside Sales. 800-275-5338 Ext. 5.

      Reply
  21. jorge zamudio says:
    May 20, 2011 at 3:33 pm

    hi i was wondering whats this facemask called and how i can purchase ithttp://www.capitalnewyork.com/files/a-hanlon-bradshaw.jpghttp://www.capitalnewyork.com/files/a-hanlon-bradshaw.jpg

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      May 20, 2011 at 6:47 pm

      This is a custom version of the S2EG-SW-SP. It has an extra vertical bar along the grill in the middle. Please caall Inside Sales for information on purchasing. 800-275-5338 Ext. 5. Mon-Fri 8:30 am – 4:30 pm EST.

      Reply
  22. jorge zamudio says:
    May 20, 2011 at 3:35 pm

    whats this facemask called and how can i buy it

    http://www.capitalnewyork.com/files/a-hanlon-bradshaw.jpg

    Reply
  23. isayah says:
    May 22, 2011 at 12:47 am

    can i get a free helmet

    Reply
  24. isayah says:
    May 22, 2011 at 12:48 am

    with a s2eg-sw-sp facemask

    Reply
  25. Joel Boucher says:
    May 26, 2011 at 6:44 am

    What is the Facemask worn by Julius Peppers in this picture here? and how do i purchase it for my Revo Speed?

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      May 31, 2011 at 3:09 pm

      Joel, This looks like the S3BDU-SP. This is a specialty model and only available by calling Inside Sales at 800-275-5338 Ext. 5. Mon-Fri 8:30am – 4:30pm EST. Specialty models have longer lead times and higher prices.

      Reply
  27. Carlos Reyes says:
    June 14, 2011 at 6:13 am

    what kind of facemask is this? does riddel still carry it?http://www.foxsportswisconsin.com/common/medialib/306/481167.jpg

    Reply
  28. Payne says:
    July 10, 2011 at 1:46 pm

    can i order a youth revo speed with one of the specialty face masks?

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      July 14, 2011 at 3:33 pm

      Yes you may, but only by calling our Inside Sales department at 800-275-5338 Ext. 5. Specialty model face masks are not in stock, and take longer to obtain and configure on a helmet. Your helmet will take longer to produce as a result. Be prepared to wait longer for your helmet if you include a specialty model face mask. Thank you.

      Reply
  29. miguel says:
    September 19, 2011 at 8:10 pm

    How much is thE s-kicker facemask? And how much would the shipping be

    Reply
  30. Wyatt Keasling says:
    December 22, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    IS THERE A WAY TO GET MY SCHOOLS TEAM LOGO PAINTED ON MY rEVOLUTION SPEED INSTEAD OF USING STICKERS

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      December 27, 2011 at 3:29 pm

      Wyatt, depending on the design we may be able to help you. However, we do not do one-off custom painting on helmets. We most likely would only do it for a large bulk order. Please call our customer service department for more details on your specific design. 800-275-5338.

      Reply
  31. Khari says:
    January 4, 2012 at 10:09 pm

    Does the cpx custom back plate fit on all riddell shoulder pad models

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      February 2, 2012 at 7:50 pm

      Khari, the CPX custom back play was designed specifically for the CPX shoulder pad line, however it is equally compatible with the Custom Power Light Speed line as well. While you may be able to drill your own holes and attach any back plate to any shoulder pad model, they weren’t designed to be used that way.

      Reply
  33. Chris says:
    January 18, 2012 at 4:54 am

    I am the kicker AT my school and we use reVolution HElmets, but it seems that all of the face masks are a little in the way (vision-wise) when I need to see the ball, aNd I was wondering if you offer any kicker Specific masKs for the revOlution helmet.

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      February 2, 2012 at 8:19 pm

      Chris, we do have a kicker-specific face mask model for the Revolution helmet. It’s called the G-KICKER face mask. For more information please call our Inside Sales department at 800-275-5338 Ext. 5.

      Reply
  34. albert amaya says:
    February 1, 2012 at 2:39 am

    can u paint helemets in crimson?

    Reply
    • Riddell says:
      February 2, 2012 at 8:03 pm

      Albert, we can paint helmets in any color. Crimson may not be an exact paint color that we have, however if your team’s colors are crimson, we may have the exact paint color code in our system from a previous purchase. Please call in for more information at 800-275-5338

      Reply
  35. Riddell says:
    January 27, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    Please call for a free quick quote. 800-275-5338 Ext. 2198

    Reply

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