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Helmet Reconditioning

July 7, 2021 By Jeff Zogg

It's that time of year to start preparing for your helmet football reconditioning. Last year, COVID has wreaked havoc on parts and helmet supply chains, so don't get caught waiting until June to start thinking about your helmets. Plan and prepare now is our best recommendation.

But for reconditioners, the two dozen shops around the nation that make sure the helmets sent to them are prepared for the hits, the season this year has stretched from the normal busy times of early winter and late spring to now early fall—a troubling development.

Owners and operators of reconditioning businesses shied away from talking with us on the record, not wanting to alienate customers. One business owner, who we agreed not to identify by name, talked with us about the issue.

Don't Wait to Send in Helmets

“There is always a certain amount of stragglers and late coming orders,” we were told. “When we get calls asking for helmets to be cared for close to the season, we tell them not to wait a week or two weeks before the start of the season—or even a month before the start of the season—because even then you are pushing it.

“We know there are always exceptions—life happens.

“But we will charge a rush fee.”

Football helmets must be reconditioned at least after the second year of use and every other season after to keep the manufacturers’ warranties and meet minimum NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) requirements.

When a reconditioner receives a load of football helmets, or a single helmet, for reconditioning, a long process begins. Each helmet must be inventoried, disassembled, examined, evaluated, cleaned, repainted, reassembled with some new components, and prepared for shipping. Additionally, a certain percentage must undergo specific testing to determine if the helmet does what it was designed to do—offer protection to a football player’s head.

This takes time. Lots of time.

Slim Window for Reconditioning

“We are doing equipment later than normal,” our reconditioning friend told us. “Sometimes this is due to other forces, not just lateness.”

Other forces? Sam Trusner, the intrepid Office Manager for the AEMA (Athletic Equipment Managers Association), explains.

“For colleges, football is a near year-round sport now. Equipment managers must prepare for Spring ball and cannot send helmets out for reconditioning until that is complete. Then, summer workouts and the pre-season begins. There is a small window for reconditioning in there,” Sam expounds.

“For high schools, helmets should be sent out immediately after the season is done.”

It seems, reconditioners say, that the season for reconditioning helmets and other equipment is being stretched to the limits—and beyond.

“One of the biggest needs we talked about (at NAERA) was the need to educate the general public. There is a process to reconditioning a football helmet. It’s not a fast process. You cannot drop off a helmet one day and pick it up the next.”

Do Not Rush Reconditioning

“This is something you cannot rush,” our source said. “We all need to make sure to get it right. Remember, the helmet is going onto someone’s head to help protect, in most cases, a kid—someone’s kid.”

Reconditioners say the shortened off-season, the immediate gratification culture, and a lack of education about the reconditioning all tie into helmets being sent in late.

“We live in a society of immediate gratification,” the reconditioner said. “The largest need in our industry is to educate everyone of the process. Plus, helmets are so different today than they were before.”

Additionally, the ever-increasing number of individually-owned football helmets causes slow-downs in the process.

“The number of individually owned helmets is going up. We see more and more every year and other reconditioners see the same trend.

“The important thing about that is that we need to educate the kids and the parents. The schools and youth organizations are getting pretty good about making sure the individuals know those helmets need to be reconditioned, but they still don’t know much about the process.”

Sam, at AEMA, agrees. “Parents sometimes go out and think they can just buy a new helmet and be done with it. But you must have that helmet reconditioned. My advise is to do it every two years whether you wear it a lot or not.”

The reconditioner goes a step further, saying parents, and the football coaches and league volunteers must make sure they know exactly who is reconditioning the helmet.

Be Sure Reconditioner is Authorized

“The first thing to know is that your reconditioner must be an authorized reconditioner—authorized by NOCSEA and typically that means they are a member of NAERA. There are companies out there that say they will recondition helmets, but they are not meeting standards. They are doing it in a way that puts everyone at risk.”

And, Sam Trusner commends, get those helmets in during a reasonable time.

“You cannot expect reconditioners to do it fast. They take the helmets apart, strip them down, clean them, test them, put new pads in and attach new hardware. Each helmet is rebuilt. So, as soon as your season is over, get those helmets together and get them to a reconditioner right away.”

Reconditioners agree. Get those helmets in well before practice starts.

“This is not a drive-through business.”

How to win the Helmet Bowl National Championship

December 6, 2020 By Jeff Zogg

Seriously, we are going to tell you right here how to win the Greatest College Football Helmet Contest Ever!

You love your Falcons, or Bears, or Blazers, or Turtles, or Bobcats, or Camels, or whatever, but love won't win this contest.

You must be intentional. You must strategize. You must rally.

We are going to list for you 10 things to do. If you do them, you have a great shot at winning the Helmet Bowl III National Championship. Better than a great chance. You've got a fantastic chance. A wonderful chance. It's practically guarenteed.

But you have to pay attention.

And let us tell you this. It's not too late. There are 64 teams in the contest to start.

Voting begins Monday at noon. Each round lasts one week. Gather the most votes, move on. Six rounds, Six weeks. One champion.

Get your campaign going this week, win. Turn it up a notch when you make it into the round of 32, win. Then it gets tough. The top 16 teams will employee many of these strategies, but you, YOU will employee all of them, and win.

Then it's 8 teams left and, well, you have to pull out all stops for three weeks. Then, on January 13, the same day the NCAA crowns its National Champion, we will crown you with the National Championship.

So, here it goes. We will start with how the HB1 and HB2 National Champions won (both DIII schools, by the way), then 8 more ways to win. Maybe nine.

Still here? You must want to win. Okay, here's how.

1. Friends

The Gallaudet Bison won Helmet Bowl I with the support of its friends. Now, Gallaudet, you may know, serves the deaf and hearing impaired community. The friends of the Bison count nearly every deaf person in America. That's a big network. You have a big network, too. There is something special about your school and program. You already know what it is. Find it and tap into it. Reach out to celebrities who know you, well known graduates or supporters in the community – whoever may have the attention of your fans.

2. Moms

Helmet Bowl II National Champion Dickinson Red Devils won on the shoulders of Moms. The same Moms who bake brownies for the football team, did the laundry when their boys were in Pop Warner, and drive (oh, do the drive!) to every game, it was them who piled up the votes, reached out to their networks, and handed the trophy to the Red Devils. Really. So, Moms, yes. Also, Grandparents and others. Uncle Dave? Yes, him, too.

3. Alumni, Alum, Alumnus

Yeah, we have to look up the difference, too. Those who wear the letters proudly from their time on the team in the 80s, those who wear the sweatshirts and polos and baseball caps, those who send the money when they get the asks in the mail – they care. And they will vote! Get to your Alumni office or Association and ask them to send out your Helmet Bowl voting information.

4. Pack for a journey

You don't get an oval “I VOTED” sticker to wear when you click on your helmet in Helmet Bowl. That's because Helmet Bowl runs seven days a week for six weeks. You can vote every day and on as many different devices you can find. We don't limit the number of votes from each voter. Vote! It's a marathon you don't have to train for.

5. Befriend your Sports Information Director

It's not too late. Your SIDs are highly trained professionals. They understand marketing and communications. It's their job to spread the word about your program and they know how to grab the attention. Oftentimes, they just need a vehicle on which to hitch their wonderfulness. You can hand them your helmet and the information about Helmet Bowl III and they will thank you for it. They have great contacts with the news media—local, regional, and national. They like to win, too.

6. The Helmet

Your helmet is the touchstone of your program and you are responsible for it, Equipment Managers. Get it off the shelf and off the field and get it online. This year's slate of 64 helmets are the best yet. Still, many helmet images could be improved. You can submit an updated image at any time – you can even submit a different helmet if you'd like (as long as it was worn on the field this year). What works best? A side shot of your helmet on a field or a bench. A recent poll tells us most people got out and vote for their favorite team, then they vote on the best looking helmet. Be that helmet.  

7. Lacrosse, Basketball, and Diving

You are the Equipment Manager and for many schools, you are responsible for many sports. At the least, your equipment teammates are taking care of other sports. So, leverage those teams who don't take the gridiron. They love supporting your teams and they will vote. Get your arena staff to get a graphic up on the half-time scoreboard. Post a flyer in the wrestling meet entrance and where the swimming and diving fans grab a candy bar.

 8. The Jocks

These guys and gals love love love competition. Get them to vote and get them to reach out to their family and fans to vote for your helmet. Ask your quaterback, your Center, your striker on the volleyball team to Tweet and post. Get your star sprinter for the track team to encourage their social media followers to run to the polls. It will pay off for you, and for them, too.

9. Be a David. Goliaths fall.

Look, we all know the Power Five will dominate the networks and the polls. But in Helmet Bowl, everyone is equal. Schools with 5,000 students have absolutely destroyed universities with 66,444 (we're looking at you Ohio State). We created Helmet Bowl on a level playing field. Big, medium, or small, you have a shot at this National Championship. With more than 750 teams from more than 75 conferences, this contest is for everyone. Go get this championship.

10. On-Campus Outlets

Do you konw where the campus newspaper offices are? Stop by. Talk to the guy who wants to be a sportswriter. There's an in-house television or video feed that carries announcements to all students. Tap in. Get on your social media outlets, your websites, your newsletters (yes, they still send out newsletters).

Bonus: Your Conference Foes

You won your conference in Helmet Bowl, that's how you (most of you) qualified for the Helmet Bowl National Championship. Believe it or not, your conference foes want you to represent your conference well. Contact the Conference office and ask them to join your cause. Your Conference office will want those bragging rights!

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Top 10 Strategies to Win the Helmet Bowl Championship

August 3, 2020 By Jeff Zogg

A Winning Team Spirit Contributed to German Win over Argentina

Let's face it, no one waltzes into the Helmet Bowl National Championship. Three yards and a bucket of blood? Probably not. But it takes a certain amount of intention and strategy to win. No National title is a walk in the park. The best things in life are never easy.

We’ve crowned more than 390 Conference Champions and are well into our second National Championship contest. We see what it takes to win.

Here are the Top Ten things you can do to have the best chance to go deep in the Helmet Bowl National Championship.

1. Friends, Friends of Friends, and lots of them

You need the help of those who have big social networks—lots of followers. You know those crazy extroverts. They share everything, all the time. Reach out to celebrities, large group accounts, crazy fans, and whoever may have the attention of your fans.

2. Alumni, Parents, and Grandparents

Those who came before you care. They care a lot. They write checks, buy the swag, wear the gear. And, they will vote! Get in touch with your Alumni office or Association and ask them to send out your Helmet Bowl information. Moms and Dads who sport those “My kid and my money go to State” bumper stickers love to vote. Is there a parents’ group or association? And their folks will vote, too. You would be surprised how much time grandma spends online.

Through the looking glass. Charles Platiau / Reuters

3. Vote like a Marathoner, not a Sprinter

Unlike most elections, voting in Helmet Bowl runs seven days a week for six weeks. That means you can vote every day and on as many different devices you can find. We don't limit the number of votes from each voter. Vote! And, you don’t have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to train.

4. Befriend your Sports Information Director

SIDs are highly trained professionals who understand marketing and communications. They know how to grab the attention, spread the word. They know influential people, and have great contacts with the news media—local, regional, and national. Never underestimate their capabilities. They like to win, too.

Boise State Helmet 2018

5. Have a Great Looking Helmet

Your helmets may shine in the equipment room and look great on the field, but the voters see them online. Many teams fail to submit a sharp, high-res helmet image. What works best? A side shot of your helmet on a field or a bench. A recent poll tells us most people vote for their favorite team, then vote on the best looking helmet  

6. The Other Sports

Your basketball fans may not know a chin strap from a jock strap, but they love supporting your teams and they will vote. Get your arena staff to get a graphic up on the half-time scoreboard. Post a flyer in the wrestling meet entrance and where the swimming and diving fans grab a candy bar.

Money.com Cameron Crazies and fans of the Duke Blue Devils cheer prior to their game against Wake

 7. The Athletes

These guys are the competitors. You’ve done a nice job getting them to vote in the locker room, but how about having them invite their fans? Get that QB or CB to tweet about your Helmet Bowl effort. Get that power forward to tell their followers about Helmet Bowl. Get your star sprinter for the track team to encourage their social media followers to run to the polls. They'll like the exposure and attention.

8. Size Does Not Matter

We created Helmet Bowl on a level playing field. Big, medium, or small, you have a shot at this National Championship. With more than 750 teams from more than 78 conferences, this contest is for everyone. We find the big schools are sometimes too busy being big. 

The Rocky Mountain Collegiancollegian.com

9. On-Campus Outlets

Who runs your campus newspaper? Is there an in-house television circuit or video feed that carries announcements? Can you get your student managers to create a marketing class assignment out of your Helmet Bowl effort? Make a couple of phone calls, yeah.

ESPN

10. Your Conference Foes

Look, you may hate (too strong?) them on the field a couple times a year, but you won the Helmet Bowl V Conference Championship. They will want you to represent and make a strong showing. Enlist your Equipment Management brethren in your conference to give you a boost. While you’re at it, contact your Conference office and ask them to join your cause. Your Conference office will want those bragging rights!

11. Send in your new helmet images

It is that time of the year again! Helmet Bowl is just around the corner and we are as excited as ever to see what will unfold this year. A truly holistic competition of college football helmets. This year we are wanting to make it easier and more beneficial for each school by using Twitter as our primary voting method. 

Below is a link to share your information and upload a new image of the helmet you want to represent your program.  Also, let us know your Twitter handle(s) and any hashtags that your institutions use so we can work those in. 

If you have any questions please contact me using the information below. We are looking forward to another great year and can't thank you enough for your participation.

Here's my Helmet Bowl Image

Josh Meyer joins Helmet Tracker

April 27, 2020 By Rich Hardt

Lenexa, KS — April 27, 2020 — Helmet Tracker, a leading provider of equipment and inventory management solutions, announced that Joshua Meyers is joining the leadership team as Director of Sales.

Josh brings 13 years of experience in inventory management, compliance management, and technology services in the sports industry. At Helmet Tracker, Josh will lead our sales efforts and be a vital member of the leadership team.

His most recent position was as a Branch Manager at BSN SPORTS, in Mesa, Arizona. Before that, Josh spent four years working with Front Rush, formerly ACS Athletics implementing inventory management technology solutions to colleges across the country while located in Peoria, Arizona, as Director of Inventory Services and ACS Athletics, Austin, Texas, as Director of Equipment Services. During his tenure, Josh spent time in 169 equipment rooms in all levels of collegiate athletics as well as all five major professional sports (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS). He also was a vital part of an initiative to bring inventory tracking systems to nutrition and sports medicine departments in these associations. As a big supporter of AEMA and education, Josh led training and discussion regarding taxable benefits for the 2018 AEME convention in Phoenix, AZ. 

Josh also brings a wealth of back-office experience as an Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Compliance, helping Grand Canyon University transition from an NCAA DII to NCAA DI  in areas of compliance, academics, life skills, student development, and scheduling. He holds a bachelor's degree in History and Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Josh also serves on the Board of Directors for Managers on a Mission (MOAM).

“I am very excited to be a part of the Helmet Tracker leadership team,” said Meyer. “I look forward to building upon the company's current successes and focusing on growing Helmet Tracker's Equipment Ops technology solutions to transform the equipment room and operations.”

“Josh is an excellent addition to the Helmet Tracker leadership team.” Rick Perkins, Helmet Tracker Co-Founder. “Josh is a proven leader who has a track solid record of building and managing a high growth sales team.” 

**About Helmet Tracker**
Helmet Tracker is a sports equipment technology and logistics company that offers a comprehensive set of software application services and technology solutions for the sports equipment industry. Helmet Tracker serves youth leagues, schools, colleges, and professional sports teams and works closely with many manufacturers and reconditioners of sports equipment. For more information, visit helmettracker.com to follow @helmettracker on Twitter.

Equipment Manager Job Openings

March 21, 2020 By Rich Hardt

Below is a list of current job openings for Equipment Managers. Equipment rooms always need great people.

Current Job Openings

  • Equipment/Facilities Manager (FT), (Manager, Athletic Equipment & Facilities) University of Connecticut (March 17, 2020)
  • Assistant Manager, Athletic Equipment (FT), University of Nevada, Reno (March 16, 2020)
  • Assistant Director of Athletics Equipment & Services (FT), Virginia Military Institute, (March 7, 2020)
  • AEMA Job Postings

For More Information

  • Sports Equipment Manager Career
  • A Day in the Life: Tony Medlin – Head Equipment Manager
  • Hiring Student Equipment Managers
  • Becoming a Sports Equipment Manager
  • How equipment managers help build successful football programs
  • EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT: PLANNING FOR AWAY GAMES
  • At home or on the road, Army equipment managers get job done
  • The Gear Guru—go behind the scenes with Jazz equipment manager Adam Klauke
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  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 27
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  • Helmet Reconditioning
  • How to win the Helmet Bowl National Championship
  • Top 10 Strategies to Win the Helmet Bowl Championship
  • Josh Meyer joins Helmet Tracker
  • Equipment Manager Job Openings

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Contact Us

Helmet Tracker LLC.
15007B W. 95th Street
Lenexa, KS 66215
(855) 435-6388
Sales@HelmetTracker.com

About Us

Helmet Tracker is a sports equipment technology and logistics company that offers a comprehensive set of software application services and technology solutions for the sports equipment industry.



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Helmet Tracker LLC.,
15007 B W 95th Street Lenexa, KS 66215
(855) 435-6388
Sales@HelmetTracker.com

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