St. Augustine High School today announced it will equip its entire football roster with the VICIS ZERO2 helmet for the upcoming season as the school puts an added emphasis on player health and safety. The school is the first in the country to enter into an exclusive helmet partnership through VICIS' newly launched Ambassador Program.
NEW ORLEANS, March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- St. Augustine High School today announced it will equip its entire football roster with the VICIS ZERO2 helmet for the upcoming season as the school puts an added emphasis on player health and safety. The school is the first in the country to enter into an exclusive helmet partnership through VICIS' newly launched Ambassador Program.
One of the most decorated helmets in the history of the game, the highly engineered ZERO2 was designed to reduce impact forces and features a fully deformable outer shell that mitigates impacts before they reach the athlete's head. The groundbreaking helmet received the highest safety rating by both the National Football League (NFL) and the NFL Players Association's (NFLPA) Helmet Laboratory Testing and The Virginia Tech University's Helmet Lab's STAR HELMET RATING SYSTEM.
By outfitting its full roster in the ZERO2, St. Augustine establishes itself as a leader in player safety, committing to protecting its student-athletes while ensuring the highest level of performance on the field. St. Augustine, which has produced more than 40 NFL players such as Leonard Fournette, Tyrann Mathieu, Trai Turner, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis, will be in the ZERO2 helmets when practice for the 2025 season begins this summer.
"We want our players to understand the importance of playing the right way, and it's our responsibility to provide the most advanced equipment & technology available for them to do that safely," said Robert Valdez, St. Augustine Head Football Coach. "St. Augustine and VICIS are both committed to player safety and high performance, and the ZERO2 checks both of those boxes. We seek to be an example for football programs in Louisiana and across the country with this program."
When it was first introduced, the ZERO2 helmet was awarded the highest available "5 STAR" rating in The Virginia Tech University Helmet Lab's STAR HELMET RATING SYSTEM. Virginia Tech's football helmet STAR methodology rates helmets based on the impact frequency and severity specifically observed in amateur play. According to Virginia Tech's ratings, helmets with more stars provide a reduction in concussion risk for these impacts compared to helmets with fewer stars. The same year, three versions of the ZERO2 took the top three spots in the NFL/NFLPA's Helmet Laboratory Performance Testing based on its ability to reduce overall head impact severity.
"Every athlete should be fitted with the safest, most innovative football helmets available, and our team is devoted to delivering on that obligation from elite professional athletes to young players," said Jeremy Erspamer, CEO of Certor Sports, parent company of VICIS. "We are thrilled to kick off our Ambassador Program in partnership with Coach Valdez and the St. Augustine football program and support their commitment to elevating athlete safety and performance."
The VICIS Ambassador Program is designed to support teams that prioritize athlete well-being and performance, providing them access to the latest helmet technology, exclusive team benefits, and opportunities to collaborate with the VICIS brand. As part of the Ambassador Program, St. Augustine will receive exclusive discounts and team pricing, custom helmet designs, co-branded merchandise and apparel designs, and custom signage for its athletic facilities.
In 2023, VICIS made history as the first manufacturer to have a helmet specifically designed for quarterback safety - the ZERO2 QB Matrix - approved for use by the NFL. That same innovation and commitment to safety was applied to the ZERO2, which features a highly engineered design that reduces impact forces through its deformable outer shell and a unique columnar layer, which work together to absorb and disperse energy more effectively than other helmets.
Certor Sports doubled down on its commitment to player safety in 2024, entering an exclusive partnership with Guardian Sports, the maker of the Guardian Cap, to help better protect players through advanced technologies and continued innovation. Guardian Caps are used by over 500,000 youth, high school, and college athletes and are mandated for practice by the NFL and CFL. In 2024, Caps were used by 92 percent of the Top 25 NCAA teams, including 11 of the 12 college football playoff teams.
For more information about VICIS and the ZERO2, or to reserve a helmet for your player or team, visit www.vicis.com.
About Certor Sports
Certor Sports, LLC, located in Plainfield, Indiana, is a domestic sporting goods manufacturer and parent company for leading protective and equipment brands, including VICIS, Schutt Sports, and TUCCI. From protection to performance, Certor Sports has developed emerging technologies used by MVP-caliber professionals to youth athletes competing each weekend. To learn more, visit www.certorsports.com.
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SOURCE St. Augustine High School
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