What began as a cringeworthy sight lit a spark in Joshua Cleveland and his wife and business partner, Gina Cleveland. As they witnessed a young boy receive his third concussion from participating in football and hockey, they wanted to make a change.
Concussions in young athletes — roughly 8 to 18 years old — can be detrimental to their health and affect brain development. The Clevelands are doctors and the founders of Impact Sports LLC. They saw this as an opportunity to help minimize concussions by designing a special helmet.
The Calvarum Blitz cushions the skull by reducing linear and rotational forces, which come from being tackled, hitting your head on the ground and more.
Named for the Latin root word “calvaria,” which refers to part of the skull, the Calvarum Blitz is modeled after the infant skull. It redirects, yields and absorbs force simultaneously, slowing potentially damaging forces entering the skull.
As the company’s target audience is young athletes, it will need commitment and trust from the parents. The Calvarum Blitz, also known as The Cal One, will be positioned by the Clevelands in a competitive market amongst large brands such as Riddell and Schutt.
“We aren’t just selling a helmet. We are providing confidence for parents that contact sports can be safer by making helmets that move the way we do,” he said. “The unique geometry and the mechanics of our helmet position us to stand out.”
Key players Cleveland has recruited to his team include his wife, Gina, who will handle the financial components and help manage the business.
Their lead engineer in designing the structure of the helmet is Alek Taslagyan, who will build prototypes. He has worked in protective headgear space for several companies and is familiar with the technicalities that come with making designs for the head.
Impact Sports, based in River Falls, is a presenting finalist in the 2018 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, to be held next week at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference, Union South, Madison.
By Kelli Bates
Bates recently graduated from the UW-Madison Department of Life Sciences Communication.
