Safety has always been an issue in sports, and a new invention could change the world of contact sports as we know it. The Q-Collar is a non-invasive device that was created to help prevent or reduce head injuries for athletes who play contact sports. Head injuries like concussions can have terrible effects on high school and college athletes because their brains are still in a developmental phase.
I met with multi-sport athlete Quinn DeCourcey. DeCourcey plays football and lacrosse at Scituate High and has worn the Q-Collar for lacrosse but plans to use it in the fall for football as well. “I saw it on social media and I saw it prevents head injuries so I started to wear it, and then I stopped…I ended up getting a concussion so I have been wearing it ever since.”
The price point of $200 can be a deterrent, but according to DeCourcey, “I know that it is expensive but I know that it works and it’s worth the cost to keep your brain safe.” DeCourcey believes, “It is a great way to prevent head injuries without completely changing the sport.”
The product aims to give athletes protection from head trauma and other bodily injuries. Overall safety at all times is the achievement the product is searching for by helping young athletes protect themselves from devastating injuries. DeCourcey said that when he wears it, “I do get it I feel less of an impact on my head. I feel more confident when wearing it because I feel like I can focus more on the game rather than where my head is going to be or if someone’s gonna hit me.”
DeCourcey’s teammate Willy Robinson also wears the Q-Collar for football and lacrosse. Robinson stated, “This football season was the first time I wore it…It is definitely pricey but it has worked for me and I think that it is worth the amount that you’re paying to protect your head.” Robinson added, “I think when there are more studies done with it and how it works, that every athlete should wear it.”
When wearing it, Robinson said that he, “Thinks less about head injuries and I worry less about what is going on with my head and I get to be more focused on the game.”
Robinson chooses to wear it because, “In football, a bunch of little hits can add up to long-term brain injuries, I do think it’s helpful because I haven’t had any problems ever since I wore it for the first time.”