Riddell: The Helmet That Fits Like A Glove

I remember the first time I put one on: it was in June of 2010 in Texas, at training camp for the U.S. women’s national tackle football team. In an unprecedented sporting event, the United States had selected 45 of the best female tackle football players in the country to represent America in the first-ever Women’s World Championship sanctioned by IFAF (the International Federation of American Football). The 2010 Championship was to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, and I was one of the elite forty-five selected.

Needless to say, all of us were nervous. As any true athlete does — we sized one another up. Outside we were all handshakes and smiles, but inside we were analyzing a person’s grip, their gait, height, and weight to determine our own depth chart of who would play what positions, and more importantly, who would start. Throughout this silent dance, we lined up in one of the Marriott conference rooms to get our equipment, and that’s when I saw it, or I should say more importantly, that’s when I felt it — my new Riddell Revolution helmet.

In 2010 I had been playing tackle football for a total of five years and during that time, had become accustomed to the fact that the majority of football equipment was simply uncomfortable and cumbersome. I chalked it up to the fact that equipment manufacturers didn’t care or didn’t know about the growing market of female football players and were either way, reluctant to make equipment more suitable to our physical needs. But then there was Riddell… When I put the revolution helmet on, it was if the heavens opened up and those proverbial angels began to sing. I never know a football helmet could be so comfortable and actually FEEL good. It was so lightweight and the facemask was constructed in a way that provided not only protection, but also maximum visibility which is extremely important for a wide receiver such as myself. I felt transported into another dimension where football equipment manufacturers actually cared for and identified with the players wearing their products, even if those players were female.

The story doesn’t end there. My new Riddell Revolution helmet, supplied to me by USA Football, did not only feel good, but when I finally took the field, the helmet would revolutionize (pun intended) my experience with the game. The helmet was weightless, snug, and conformed so well to my head that it felt as if I wasn’t wearing anything at all. It was as if I had been upgraded from a Mazda to a Maserati. The craftsmanship Riddell put into their Revolution helmet was obvious and similar to the same dedication and commitment to excellence that other category defining brands like Rolex or Hermes demonstrate with their merchandise.

I was wearing a Riddell Revolution helmet when I made history scoring the first touchdown in international women’s tackle football on a 52-yard catch during the USA versus Austria game. Later, in 2013, I continued to wear Riddell when my teammates and I brought home yet another gold medal for the U.S. in the 2013 Women’s World Championship held in Finland.

I recently viewed an Instagram posting from one of my USA teammates who currently plays for the Houston Energy of the IWFL (Independent Women’s Football League). She brags in her post about “popping the tag” off of her new Riddell Revolution helmet. She is not alone as thousands of women across the U.S. and abroad are preparing for their tackle football seasons with new helmets, shoulder pads, and other football gear. My teammate remarked that the Revolution helmet fit her like a glove which is a clever metaphor that highlights Riddell’s consistent commitment to putting the comfort and safety of their players first — both male and female alike.